


Contact at Pub in a Tub

by alittlepieceofgundamwing_archivist



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Lemon, Light Angst, M/M, Original Character(s), Out of Character, Romance, Some Humor, Yaoi, there's no tag for that???, unprotected sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-13 00:56:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 36,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14739074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alittlepieceofgundamwing_archivist/pseuds/alittlepieceofgundamwing_archivist
Summary: by Rae--Duo's had a hard day, but a stranger in a pub can make it better.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

"Aw, you poor blighter. Let me get you another pint, gov." The girl behind the bar was a friendly soul. Duo was grateful for that. After the day he'd had, it was nice to have a semi-decent conversation with a nice and decent person. Of course, it helped that she normally let him flirt shamelessly with her without taking it offensively or personally. They both knew that he had no interest in her beyond the drinks she kept bringing to the counter.  
  
"Thanks, Tayles. You know, it's days like this that make me wish I'd dropped out of college and joined the army." She laughed at his tired joke and refilled his half-empty mug.  
  
"Wat hap`n`d, Duo?" Her voice was thick with an English accent.  
  
"Another shipment lost due to the damn programming in shipping." He was a member of middle management in a medium-sized shipping venue, earning a middle-class salary for doing an ordinary, boring day-job. In other words, it was Duo's hell personalized. However, his grandmother had sacrificed for years to get him where he was and he refused to be ungrateful. "You know, one of these days, I'd like to find a way to forget for at least a couple of hours that I do tedious work for nothing"  
  
"You're whining," she pointed out teasingly, her accent disappearing. She pushed the bowl of salty peanuts closer to his elbow. "Eat up. I'm sure that you've probably missed every meal since breakfast."  
  
He sighed and smiled slightly. "Breakfast?" Gratefully, he popped a handful of the nuts into his mouth and chewed them slowly.  
  
"Oh, Duo. If you keep going on like this, you're going to be burned out before you're twenty-three." She leaned against the counter and looked at him closely, her gray-blue eyes showing her concern. "Maybe you should take a vacation?"  
  
"I have to wait until my year is up before I get a week off. As it is, I can look forward to another six months of dealing with stupid people and fixing their mistakes." His head hit the bar as he groaned. "My life is pointless!"  
  
She smiled and ruffled his already unruly bangs. "Instead of a vacation, you need a companion. Someone to come home to and talk with. It would be less expensive than using me as a substitute. You need amore, Duo. Someone to cuddle with on days like these."  
  
"Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match, find me a find, catch me a catch…" Duo sang dryly, taking a drink of his beer. "What you're saying is that I need to get laid, am I right?"  
  
"Those`re your words, gov." The accent was back as she moved away to serve another man at the bar. Duo stared down at his mug and glared at the amber liquid inside. She was right, he knew. He needed something more than what he had.  
  
The stool beside him was pulled away from the bar and sat on. Duo noted the presence of another man, but didn't bother to turn his to look at him. The pub he was in wasn't exactly famous for its open-minded inhabitants. As far as Duo could tell, he was the first and only gay male to ever frequent the joint.  
  
It made it difficult to pick up a date, but he loved the atmosphere that the Pub in the Tub provided. He loved this place; it was the first bar he got drunk in when he turned of age, it was the location of his first date with both genders, and he knew the owner personally.  
  
Tayles came back and asked the man next to Duo for his drink order. "Water is fine." She raised an eyebrow, winked at Duo, and served the man his water with ice. Before she could move on, he reached out and touched her hand, effectively holding her in place for a moment. "Tell me, has a woman in pink come in the door behind me?"  
  
His speech was very formal and spoken in a nasal monotone. Duo felt an involuntary shiver run up his spine and turned to look at the speaker. The man was the same as Duo, with short, mussed brown hair. He was looking at Tayles with steely blue eyes, his face devoid of any expression.   
  
'Inhuman,' thought Duo. It wasn't only the lack of emotion. The man was perfectly built; a lean body with muscles that were evident but not overly defined, narrow hips, and a derriere that made Duo's hands itch. 'This is my god. This is the man I want to go home to after a day in hell.'  
  
"Um, no?" The bartender replied as an eyebrow rose in confusion. "Should there have been a woman?"  
  
"Not if I'm lucky," the answer was short as the man let go of Tayles and took a sip of his water. Duo looked at Tayles and met her gaze with his own violet irises. He smiled at her and winked, telling her silently that if the man turned out to be a nut, he'd defend her. She rolled her eyes but smiled gratefully, automatically reaching out to refill his emptied mug. This time, she only filled it up halfway.   
  
Unable to resist, Duo turned to the man beside him and smiled charmingly, letting his curiosity get the better of him. "So, a woman in pink? Not a woman in red?"  
  
Blue eyes met his and one elegant eyebrow rose. Duo had seen that look before; it was the look of a 'superior' looking down on one of his subordinates. Instead of it being a turn-off, Duo took it as a challenge. Forget the fact that the man probably wasn't interested in another man anyway; he was too cute to turn away from.  
  
"I take it that the lady in question has questionable fashion sense?" Duo asked, leaning an elbow on the bar as he regarded the man steadily. "Obviously, if she'd be seen in public in such a getup, she isn't a very wise woman, is she?"  
  
"Relena Peacecraft is one of the wisest and respected of the social class in this city. If you doubt her sensibility, you may wish to lodge a complaint against those that would have her as Mayor."  
  
"You're hiding from the future Mayor?" Duo asked, amusement thick in his voice. When the man cocked an eyebrow and nodded, Duo laughed. "That's too good! I've heard of her. The only daughter of Senator Peacecraft and sister to the famously infamous Zechs Merquise. She's quite a catch. Why are you hiding from her?"  
  
The man took a drink of his water and sat the glass down on the bar, his hand keeping its grasp. "She's decided that she should marry and that I am the most suitable prospect."   
  
"Ech." Duo was sympathetic. He had heard the woman speak on television a few times and had read articles about her. From what he could gleam, she was a nice enough chit, just taken to being obsessive over certain things; taxes, education, and it would seem, the man at the bar. "You don't want to be the Mayor's husband? Sit around all day and plan social galas and fundraisers?"  
  
The man looked at him again, his eyes assessing Duo. "Is your hair braided?" It was an inane question and caught Duo off-guard. After a second he nodded and pulled his braid from his jacket. Company policy at work said that long hair had to be done up close to the head, whether the employee was male or female. Duo refused to put his hair in a bun or to cut it, so that left hiding it as his only other option.  
  
It was long enough to hang to the top of his buttocks. He held it out with his right and gestured that it was okay to touch it. "I've been growing this since before I knew it was there." He held his breath when the man reached out and touched it gently with one slender, long-fingered hand.  
  
Duo licked his lips, feeling his groin tighten as the touch on his braid held him mesmerized. The man was sliding his hand gently along its length, his attention fixed on the hair under his hand. It was one of those surreal moments in time that happen once in a lifetime and stay with you for the rest of it.  
  
"Heero!" The man froze at the high-pitched squeal and Duo froze in response to that stiffness. He turned his head carefully, his braid still held in the man's grip, to see the would-be Mayor standing in the door to the pub dressed in pink and looking at them.   
  
"I'll give you whatever you want if you'll pretend that we're dating." The man said suddenly, startling Duo from his evaluation of Relena Peacecraft. He looked into dark blue eyes-'Prussian', he realized suddenly-and felt lost in that deep gaze.  
  
"Heero, darling. I've found you." Relena placed a hand on Heero's shoulder and leaned between them, effectively blocking them from each other's view. "I thought that you were going to follow me to the restaurant for lunch, but when I turned around you were gone. It's taken me all this time to find you."  
  
Duo looked up and left and saw Tayles watching them closely. Her eyes were sparkling and he knew that she had heard the last part of their conversation before they'd been interrupted. She nodded to him, a signal that he should do what he'd been asked to.  
  
"Excuse me," he gently clasped Relena's hand in his and pulled it down from Heero's shoulder. "No offense, but it kind of irks me when someone else calls him 'darling'." She blinked at him, her smile turning to a frown.  
  
He gently ran his hand down Heero's arm to his hand, and then twined his fingers through his hand, so that both of their hands were now wrapped around his braid.

"Pardon?" she asked, her voice shaky as her eyes flew between them. Obviously, this was a development that she hadn't expected, but she was handling it as well as a gently bred and intelligent lady could.  
  
"I know that you've known Heero a lot longer than I have, but I have to stake my claim." He smiled as charmingly as he could, feeling a little guilty for deceiving her even while he was applauding his own acting skills.   
  
After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Relena folded her hands in front of her and smiled cordially, only the crinkling at the corner of her eyes betraying her strain. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm Relena Peacecraft."  
  
Abiding by the rules of decorum, Duo stood up and offered her his hand. She accepted it; instead of shaking her hand, however, Duo leaned over and kissed it. "Duo Maxwell. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Peacecraft. I would like to say that I'll be voting for you as Mayor in the upcoming election."  
  
"I appreciate the vote, Mr. Maxwell. I do hope you'll forgive me for the intrusion. I'm afraid that I've made an error of assumption. I'll just leave you and Heero to finish your drinks." She turned to walk away, but paused and turned back. "Under the circumstances, I hope that I'll see you at the luncheon tomorrow afternoon. Good day, gentlemen."  
  
She was gone just as quickly as she had arrived. Duo sagged in relief and tried to pull his hand away from Heero's, but the other man's grip was like iron, holding him in place. "Thank you."  
  
"No problem, man. You know, I actually wasn't expecting her to take it that well. She just let go." It had seemed too easy to Duo, especially from the impression he'd gotten from Heero. "Anyway, I'm glad that that was over quickly because I have to go."  
  
Heero did let him go then and they both stood up. Duo reached for his wallet but the other man had placed enough bills on the bar to cover both of their tabs. "My treat."  
  
"Thanks. Hey, maybe I'll see you around again, huh?" Duo asked, feeling giddy at the thought. Heero's touch had made him instantly hard and breathless, a dizzying combination.  
  
He smiled at Tayles as she took the money, her smile encouraging. "Have a good eve, gov. Come again soon."  
  
They walked outside together, stepping into the chilly shadows of the city. Duo drew his jacket tighter around his wiry frame and wished that he had a car. Living in the cramped conditions of the city made it easier to take the bus to work, but there weren't any buses that ran in the direction of the Pub in the Tub.  
  
"Do you live around here?" Heero asked. He was wearing a jean jacket, which he buttoned up at that moment.   
  
Duo shook his head and pointed up the street. "I live three blocks north and two east from here. A nice little apartment." He smiled at Heero, unwilling to part ways just yet. "You could always come over and have some coffee. It'll take the chill off."

The other man shook his head and walked to a car sitting on the curb. It was a black corvette with a white top. "My place is a little further. Do you like art?"  
  
"What kind? It depends, really. I can't say that there's one style that I like and that's it, because I like certain pieces, not artists or periods. Are you a collector?"  
  
"Of sorts."  
  
"I'd love to take a look sometime, if it wouldn't be a problem," he suggested hopefully, his smile crooked. Heero looked at him for a moment without saying anything.

Then, "You can come over now, if you'd like."  
  
A smile lit Duo's face, making his eyes gleam in the streetlights. "Like? I'd love too. It beats walking home in the cold. I assume that you're driving?"  
  
For the first time that evening, Heero smiled. It was just a tilt of his lips, but it was enough to make Duo catch his breath. It lightened his face and his eyes, giving the former a younger look. "Hop in."  
  
"Thanks." Duo did as he was told, sliding into the soft, leather interior of the car. He leaned against the door and watched as Heero climbed into the driver's seat. The engine roared to life, then purred gently as Heero pulled away from the curb. "Man, this car is wonderful. In high school, it would have been the perfect place for a shag."  
  
"Hn." Despite his monosyllabic reply, there was a smirk on his face that Duo surmised as 'been there, done that'.   
  
Curious, he narrowed his eyes at Heero. "So? Have you? Done it in this car, I mean?"  
  
"No." Which was really too bad, Duo thought. There were probably any number of people who would have jumped at the chance to baptize the 'vette properly, especially if the offer included Heero. "Is that an offer?"  
  
Violet eyes blinked in surprise at the almost blatant invitation. "Hell, yes!" A moment later, Heero pulled down a darkened alley and stopped the car, cutting the engine off. "You're serious? Here and now?"  
  
"You don't want to?" Heero asked, his tone indicating that he found that thought nearly impossible. He was about ready to start the car again when Duo gathered his wits, courage, and hormones around him and climbed into his lap.  
  
"Oh, I definitely want to. I just wanted to make sure that you were completely willing." He wiggled in Heero's lap, feeling the hardened evidence of Heero's 'willingness' through the material of his suit pants. He chuckled huskily. "I think that my doubts have been laid to rest."  
  
"How about we take care of the rest of you?" His arms encircled Duo and pulled their chests flush against each other.   
  
"Mmm," Duo murmured happily as warm lips traced the line of his jaw. His own hands were busily undoing the buttons on the front of Heero's jacket. "Why don't we take this into the backseat?"  
  
In answer, the seat suddenly reclined, making Duo lose his balance. Heero's hands held him captive as their mouths met and melded, their tongues quickly joining the fun to swirl around the others. Their hands moved quickly and deftly to rid each other of the first layer of clothes: their jackets.  
  
Heero was wearing a T-shirt, Duo a white button-down shirt. Neither offered a barrier they embraced, Duo's hands slipping between them and up Heero's shirts as Heero's hands caressed his back under the dress shirt. They were breathing heavy already, and hadn't even gotten farther than over the belt, under the clothes.  
  
"This is pathetic, man. I used to be able to orchestrate three orgies, and my own threesome without breaking a sweat. I don't know if I'm just getting old, or if it's you."  
  
"Me?" Heero asked between a gasp and a kiss. His lips and tongue were leaving their mark on Duo's neck as the braided man panted and started to rock his hips against Heero's.  
  
"Yeah, you. My best buddy told me once-" He broke off on a groan as Heero's hands dipped inside his slacks and grabbed his ass. "Q told me once that having sex with different people was different and that eventually someone would have to be able to satisfy me."  
  
There was a pause, and then Heero laughed against Duo's skin. "Be able to satisfy you?"  
  
Duo sighed and leaned up slightly. He was straddling Heero's hips, their groins pressed together as they slowly worked their way through each other's shirts. Heero's was bunched under his armpits. Duo's had only made it as far as being unbuttoned before Heero found a spot on his neck that interested him.  
  
"Every guy as his own stamina and ability to go for longer than others. In the early days of college, I could have worked my way through the campus twice and still have been able to go to school the next day. I was so overly hormonal that my roommate has pictures of me dry-humping my pillow in my sleep. He said that I did it every night, which I believe, because I had to shower every morning to get rid of the mess."  
  
Heero collapsed against the seat and stared up at Duo. "How many people have you slept with?"  
  
"In my lifetime?" Duo stalled before sighing under the inevitable. "In my lifetime, I could probably have filled a phone book, if I'd ever bothered to get half of their names. In the last two years? None, unless you count voyeurism, and then in my defense I have to say that I honestly didn't realize that Treize could see into my apartment so easily."  
  
There was an awkward pause, during which Duo realized how much his honesty was probably not appreciated and started to climb of Heero's lap. Two strong hands gripped his hips, keeping him in place. "I had one lover. We were together for about two years before he packed up and left. That was about a year ago, so it's been a long time for me, too."  
  
Duo sighed and settled himself comfortably against Heero, thoughts of sex put on the back burner for a moment. "We could probably check out those paintings right now and postpone this inevitably. If you're not comfortable-"  
  
"I am. That's what surprises me. I want to do this here and now. I want to do this with you." Heero said softly. The braided man melted back against him, molding their bodies together once again.  
  
"Keep that up, and you'll never get rid of me," Duo warned, pressing his lips softly against Heero's. He paused long enough to take Heero's shirt of the rest of the way and slip his own over his shoulders, and then began again, starting from the beginning with heated kisses and tender touches.  
  
"You make that sound like a bad thing," Heero returned, his hands on the snap and zipper of Duo's pants. Before actually undoing them, he ran the back of his knuckles down the imprint of Duo's cock, making him groan at the contact, his fingers clenching around Heero's shoulders. "I could get used to this."  
  
In retribution for that unexpected move, Duo brought one hand down and squeezed one of Heero's nipples, making the other man gasp in pleasure. Duo didn't have sensitive nipples, but it would appear that Heero did. He pinched the other one and smiled when Heero arched slightly into the touch. "So could I."  
  
Their lips met again and locked together as their hands roamed freely. Heero found the ticklish spot under Duo's ribs, and Duo found another sensitive spot just above Heero's hips with his fingers.  
  
With his own pants slowly being pushed over his butt, Duo decided that he needed access to Heero's package. His fingers found the button of Heero's jeans and then the zipper. He was surprised to find that the jeans were the only things keeping him from touching Heero's skin.  
  
"You go commando?" He asked, grinning wickedly. He slipped his hand into the opening and slowly slid downwards until his palm found the hard length he was searching for. His fingers closed about Heero's penis and now the man bucked up into Duo's touch. He took the opportunity to pull Heero's pants down a ways, freeing the erection so that it stood proud and firm, the tip brushing against Duo's thigh. "Wow."  
  
"Admire it later," growled Heero.  
  
"Play with it now?" suggested Duo leeringly. "Gladly." He sat down on Heero's thighs so that their groins were close, and then wrapped his fingers around his new 'toy'. Heero's hands gripped his knees and squeezed. He set up a slow rhythm: without something to use as lubrication, too fast equaled too much friction and less pleasure, more pain.  
  
"Glove box," Heero ground out. Duo took the hint and quickly leaned across the passenger seat. There was a little light that came on when he opened the glove box and it was simple enough to find the little tube kept within.   
  
"Mmm. Flavored. Cherry, my favorite." Duo winked down at Heero, though he couldn't be sure that the other man saw it in the darkness. He quickly put some of the lube in the palm of his hand and returned to work. He smeared it on Heero's cock, taking great pleasure in making sure that it was covered from tip to base. He had great plans for it before the night was out. "I just realized something."  
  
"Hm?" Heero's reply wasn't coherent, so adept were Duo's hands at what he was doing.   
  
"This won't work. I want you inside me, not the other way around. Either we find a way to turn, or we move this party over a seat."  
  
"Or you can shimmy out of those pants and turn around," Heero proposed, his hands sliding around Duo's back and down, until he was gripping the rounded curves of Duo's ass.   
  
"I like the way you think." Duo grinned and leaned up, releasing Heero's penis and stretching this way and that as 'shimmied' to the best of his ability. Eventually, with much grunting, rubbing, and moaning, he managed to pry Heero's hands off of his body so that he could get rid of his clothes.  
  
The moment he had his boxers off and turned around, Heero's hands were back, grabbing him by the hips and pulling him down so that Heero's cock was snug in the crack between Duo's cheeks. They both groaned at the intimate contact.  
  
"There's not enough room in here for too much foreplay, so lube up what needs it and get inside me before I decide to finish myself of without you."  
  
"You're a very talkative person. Very mouthy," Heero commented dryly as he spread more of the lube on his penis, and then used his hand to oil the puckered entrance of Duo's ass.  
  
"Keep that up, and you won't get a chance to see what else my mouth can do," Duo rejoined. A moment later, he gasped in shock, his heart nearly stopping in his chest as Heero began to push into him.   
  
He remembered the feeling of being taken; it wasn't anything he hadn't done before, but this time was different. He wouldn't say that it normally felt invasive, but that was as close as he could come to a description. However, as Heero pushed into him, he felt something closer to completion than invasion. It felt like the combination of a good sex and the replete feeling of post-coital bliss.   
  
He leaned back, impaling himself on the other man's erection. His eyes slipped shut as Heero filled him completely, his ass resting against Heero's groin. An arm slipped around his waist and a hand gripped his cock, giving it its much-deserved attention.   
  
The sound of their breathing filled the car as they sat that way for a moment. Not surprisingly, Duo had no words that could give justice to what he was feeling, but he vocalized his thoughts as coherently as possible. "Oh, fuck."  
  
When he was almost certain that his heart wouldn't jump out of his chest, Duo began to move, sliding slowly up and down the shaft inside of him, careful to keep the thrusting of his hips slow and steady, maximizing each one to the fullest. Heero's hand kept time to his rhythm, until they were both breathing harshly, their bodies taut with anticipation as they slowly rode together towards climax.  
  
As Duo got closer to his orgasm, he sped up, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as he rode up and down on Heero's cock, the friction increasing inside his body until he was ready to explode. Then Heero's free hand came up and touched the spot beneath his ribs, and he did explode, his sperm shooting out onto the steering column as his muscles tightened around the penis inside him.  
  
Heero followed a moment later, the feeling of Duo muscle contraction pushing him over the edge. Sated, the braided man collapsed backwards. He sighed happily when strong arms wrapped around him, holding him tight to Heero's chest.  
  
+  
  
"Heero?" Duo sighed the name, a satisfied grin on his face. He received no response and called it again, wiggling a little to make sure that he had the other man's full attention. When that got no reaction, he shifted until he could look into Heero's face. "The bastard. If he falls asleep every time we have sex, then we're going to have some serious problems."  
  
He sighed in frustration when he realized that his new lover had passed out on him, leaving them naked and sticky in a dark alley in the middle of the night.   
  
Fifteen minutes later, he had managed to move Heero to the passenger seat, find his clothes, get them both partially dressed, and start the car. Now all he had to do was figure out where Heero lived. He gladly searched the other man's pockets, taking extra care to grope him, and found what he was looking for.   
  
"Heero Yuy, huh? Nice enough name. What is that, Chinese? Whatever…oh, wow." He stared at the address on the license, then at the man beside him. "When you said that it was a little further, I didn't realize you meant that it wasn't even in this city! Okay, that settles it. We're heading to my place."  
  
He put the car in gear and backed out of the alley; the other end was blocked off with cans and trash piles, neither of which he wanted to run over with the lovely car currently in his possession.  
  
+  
  
Getting Heero up the stairs was another dilemma in itself. It had taken him time and energy just to get him in the other seat, he couldn't imagine trying to lug him to his apartment by himself.  
  
He finally settled on swallowing his pride and ringing up to his landlord. "Yes, Treize, I do realize what time it is. No, I'm not sorry for waking you up. I have a problem…yes, I do seem to have a lot of personal issues, but that's not what I'm talking about. I have a half-naked man down-" He was cut off when the buzzer went dead. A few minutes later, the door opened.  
  
Out stepped a meticulously dressed man. "Hello, Maxwell. I'm here to assist you just like you asked."  
  
"Grope him even one time, and I will castrate you personally with a butter knife. Understand?"   
  
The older man smiled congenially and nodded, the gleam already in his eyes. It would figure that Duo would have chosen an apartment that belonged to the horniest man in the world (besides Duo, of course).  
  
"What are your plans with this young man?" Treize asked curiously as they hefted Heero out of the car and into the building.  
  
Breathing hard for different reasons that earlier, Duo answered, "I'd love to keep him locked in a closet so that I can have him whenever I want, but I'm thinking that in the morning, I'd be really lucky if he even stuck around. He didn't drink, so I'm thinking that he's just tired and that'll wear off in a few hours."  
  
"You could ravish him while he sleeps."  
  
"Treize, please keep your comments, opinions, and hands to yourself," Duo replied as he pried the other man's hands first from his ass, and then from Heero's. "I will castrate you in the morning. If I remember."  
  
"Promises, promises."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Rae  
> \--  
> After a bad day and a -wonderful- night, Duo wakes up with a knee in his back and a head in his lap…both belonging to two different people. How the hell did that happen?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Waking up is never fun after a horrible day and is sometimes even worse after a great round of sex. For Duo Maxwell, waking up on the Friday after his first ever 'one-night stand' was like waking up in the middle of the highway wearing a construction cone: exciting in the 'up heave the contents of your stomach and scream' kind of fashion.  
  
He was in bed, that much he knew, but there was something very wrong with that fact, because he wasn't in bed alone. Hell, he wasn't in bed with just one other person, either. At least, he didn't think he was. He was pretty sure that if someone's knee was in his back and someone's head was resting on his thigh, then there were two people under the covers with him.  
  
Of course, he wasn't about to complain. Someone was breathing heavily on his groin in their sleep, making his penis erect before he was even fully awake, and the warm body pressed against his back was nice, almost soothing in its presence. Then again, the hand creeping towards his hip was almost too smooth in its movements.  
  
"Treize, you will remove your hand from the vicinity of my nether regions or suffer the consequences. I do believe that I promised to castrate you. I'm willing to take that back if you -get out-!" The last became a yell as the hand didn't only -not- stop, but continued until it was touching his hip near his arousal.  
  
"But Duo…" came the near-whine response. Duo took a guess and raised his leg sharply. The hands topped and Treize grunted in pain as the back of his head met with Duo's knee. "Fine, fine spoilsport. I can tell already that you've been spending too much time with Wufei."  
  
The older man sat up and smoothed his hair. Duo was happy to see that he was still dressed, with just the top buttons of his shirt undone. The longhaired man glared at him, raising one eyebrow. "Have you ever thought that maybe your bed-hopping is the reason that Wufei wants nothing to do with you?"  
  
The ginger-haired man stiffened, and then glared at Duo with a regal air. "Have you ever thought that your bitchy attitude is what turned Wufei away from -you-."  
  
"Listen here you-" Duo started, pushing himself up. An arm around his waist cut him short and pulled him back to the mattress.  
  
"I hate to interrupt what seems to be a private argument between you," a soft voice whispered into Duo's ear, "but I'd rather keep you where you are." The arm around his waist tightened and drew him back against Heero's lanky form. The braided man smirked at Treize and settled back happily.  
  
Treize stood up gracefully and nodded at the two men in bed. "Since you're going to be occupied otherwise, I do believe that I'll attend to my duties." He gave them a low bow and left the room. A minute later, the door to the apartment opened and closed.  
  
Duo smiled and wiggled backwards, pressing his butt against Heero's groin and arousal. "Good morning."  
  
"Hmm…good morning to you, too," the other man replied, pressing his lips against Duo's neck as his hand moved from Duo's hip to dip between his lips. Duo groaned and pressed he into that warm palm, eyes closing as Heero's hand closed over his arousal and squeezed it gently.   
  
A warm tongue lapped at his skin, making him shiver even as Heero began to stroke his length. Heero's other arm wormed its way around the side of Duo that was resting against the bed and snaked across his chest. Warm fingers brushed against his nipples, making him gasp. The hand around his erection sped up, making him pant and groan as he was quickly brought to climax.  
  
His semen shot out into the blankets, his vocal release a grunt and gasp that escaped from his throat. The cock against his lower back rubbed against the top of the crack of his ass. Heero shifted lower, so that his penis was pressing into the cleft of Duo's behind, his hand moving from cock to thigh in order to press more firmly against Duo's body.  
  
Duo smiled and reached an arm behind him to grip Heero's hip. "Your turn."  
  
"No," Heero murmured in a quiet tone, his open mouth moving down Heero's shoulder to kiss and lick the edge of his shoulder. "I don't have anything up here."  
  
"I do," replied Duo with a soft chuckle. "My bathroom is stocked for just such an occasion."  
  
He felt Heero smile against his skin, his fingers moving in small circles around the inside of Duo's thigh. "Then let's move this to the bathroom."   
  
Duo was only too happy to comply.  
  
+  
  
Water is an aphrodisiac. The silken movement of a water droplet as it trails down a lover's body is an arousing view, one that can be heightened by anticipation and one climax already reached.   
  
When they stepped into the shower together, Heero turned to face into the spray, leaving Duo to stare at his back in a moment of uncertainty, the bottle of lube forgotten in his hand. Moments of such stillness were few and far between, but they did manage to catch up with the violet-eyed exec, forcing him into a few seconds of inactivity before the site of a wet Heero overwhelmed that initial inclination.  
  
Duo's tongue began the assault with a gentle laving of Heero's right side. He felt the muscles bunch beneath his tongue and decided to explore further, his hands coming up to rest on the other man's shoulder blades. He trailed a most circle on Heero's skin before pressing his lips against the spot and sucking.   
  
Heero giggled. The sound surprised Duo into stilling for a second before he increased the suction pressure. His slender fingers trailed down Heero's back, his nails scratching lightly against the other's bronze-color skin, eliciting a quiver.  
  
The fingers of his left hand stopped at the gentle rise of Heero's butt, the right stopping to rest by Duo's face as he continued to focus his attention on making his mark on the other man's body.  
  
Under the spray of water, Heero tasted like salty water. Most of what Duo could imagine as his own taste was washed away under the pressure of the shower. He withdrew his mouth and skimmed his right hand the rest of the way to Heero's hip, then walked his fingers down the crevice of thigh and hip, until his fingers slid into the soft hair that surrounded Heero's penis.  
  
He knelt behind the other man, but before he could bring his left arm around to wrap Heero in his embrace, the other turned around, presenting Duo with a very close and personal view of his arousal. Their eyes met, cobalt meeting Prussian in a quick, silent conversation that expressed better than words ever could their lust for each other.  
  
Duo smiled up, his cheeks flushed. Water still dripped over Heero's shoulders, but his back and shoulders stopped the force of the spray. His face, too, was ruddy from passion. His eyes stared intently at Duo's face as the braided man leaned forward and wrapped his mouth around the tip, his tongue gliding gently around the foreskin.  
  
Heero closed his eyes and pressed a hand against the wall to steady himself, his breath rushing out between clenched teeth. Duo's hand encircled the engorged cock at the base, the warm muscle slick beneath in his grip. Taking a deep breath, Duo opened his jaw as wide as possible and drew in as much of Heero's erection as he could, which was a sizable half. He stopped when the tip hit the back of his throat.  
  
His cheeks drew in as he sucked and he increased the pressure of his lips. Heero's hands clenched in his hair, twisted into the sodden mass of his braid. His breathing was coming out in sharp pants, his narrow hips twitching and bucking in a mockery of rhythm, making Duo's head bob with the motion.  
  
The long-haired man was trapped, his head held in place by Heero's penis and grip, the muscles around his mouth stretching to accommodate the girth of the former and his scalp starting to smart from the pull of the latter.  
  
With a need to breath and swallow freely, Duo pushed on Heero's hip, forcing the other man to take a step back. Heero grunted, but followed the action, his eyes slitting open as he gazed down at Duo.   
  
Duo gave a small smile, which turned into a grimace as his lips stretched again. He pumped the erection he still held in his hand to show that he wasn't stopping and licked his lips. Heero's seed tasted salty and bitter. Not the best of mixtures, but he thought that it tasted like Heero, and that made it not only bearable, but also enjoyable.  
  
The smile was returned with a small one from Heero, and then they were kneeling together on the floor of the shower, the water now falling on the both of them as they kissed feverishly, their hands roaming the other's body, touching, caressing, nails occasionally digging teasingly into flesh before fingertips would smooth the area again.  
  
They were nearly silent as they came together that time, Heero rediscovering the lube mere seconds before he rediscovered the puckered entrance to Duo's ass and invaded it. The water slicked their skin, allowing them to rub against each other with little friction. Duo's erection was trapped between them, caressed by both their stomachs as they rode ecstasy together.  
  
+  
  
There were many, may terms for the boneless feeling that follows a good bout of sex, but Duo was too tired and drained to waste the energy to come up with them all as he laid in Heero's arms. The water was off, but they hadn't moved further than the bathtub. They were lying in the cold porcelain bowl, their arms wrapped around each other, their bodies lax against each other. Duo was sated and happy. Heero was asleep.  
  
He had turned the shower off with his foot when it became apparent that they wouldn't be moving anytime in the near future. A sigh escaped his lips as he closed his eyes. Despite the fact that his lover was once again unconscious, he was feeling rather good. He had expected Heero to be gone in the morning and it was nice surprise to wake up next to him in the morning. Even if Treize had had to ruin the moment by being there, too.  
  
One hand came up and made a lazy trail down Heero's back. Being so close together was bringing Duo's penis back to an erection, but since he was trapped under Heero's body, he figured that he was just going to have to suffer. Oh, what wonderful suffering it was, though. Heero's cock was still buried inside of him, his right hand still caught in Duo's braid. His breathing was even, his breath wafting across Duo's neck.  
  
All in all, the morning had turned out rather well, Duo thought as he slowly drifted into sleep himself.  
  
+  
  
It was eleven o'clock before Duo roused again, stark naked on top of his bed. His room was shadow, the curtains drawn, the door closed and the lights off. The other half of the bed was empty.  
  
He sighed at his own foolishness in believing that his one-night stand would have extended beyond the night before and that morning and rolled out of bed. Not surprisingly, the rest of the apartment was empty. He was in the middle of pouring milk over his cereal when he heard the door to his apartment open. Since the locks were controlled by an automatic mechanism, he ignored it, knowing that it had to be someone with a key.  
  
His assumption proved correct when strong arms wrapped around his waist and a polyester-covered groin was pressed to his butt cheeks. "Back off, old man."  
  
"You're no fun, Maxwell." Treize nuzzled the skin behind Duo's ear before doing as requested. Duo glared at him as he started to eat his breakfast. "So, how did it go?"  
  
The interest in his gaze was unmistakable. Duo sighed, recognizing the inevitable. "Well enough. A repeat performance this morning after you left. He fell asleep. -Again-."  
  
"Hm." Treize said non-committally, leaning back against the counter in a causal gesture. As always, he was dressed to kill, wearing black dress pants and a jacket that could have served some European officer of the eighteenth century armed forces. Classy, but overdone. "Maybe he has some sort of disease. I knew a girl once who fell asleep every time she laughed."  
  
"I'm sure that you were very helpful in telling her jokes." Duo said sarcastically, though the thought did seem somewhat logical. It didn't matter if it was true, or not. He'd more than likely never see Heero again and if he did, the chances of them having sex again were slim. He smiled wistfully around a mouthful of sugar-coated bran flakes. With a lover like Heero, the sleeping could be overlooked in favor of all the wonderful things he managed while awake.  
  
"There's something more, isn't there?" Treize asked wisely. Violet eyes looked at him sharply before Duo nodded. "You're comparing him to Wufei, aren't you?"  
  
"As a lover? No. Hell, 'Fei and I only slept together three times and I was drunk during two of those times. Not exactly the most memorable of relationships, if you know what I mean."  
  
"If you hadn't made him wait three years before sleeping with him, things might have turned out better," Treize pointed out. Duo rolled his eyes.  
  
"The only reason I slept with him was to shut him up. Our relationship was doomed from the beginning. I'm actually surprised that we lasted three years, between me nagging him to death and him constantly bemoaning the fact that I wouldn't put out."  
  
"I, for one, am glad that things didn't work between you. That left the field open for me."  
  
Duo looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "The field is open for you, but you won't get a chance at the goal until you stop slapping everyone else's butt. Pardon the analogy." Treize laughed, the deep-timbered sound echoing around the small apartment.  
  
"You're pardoned. That's horrible, Maxwell. I do hope that you come up with something better when you talk to Wufei."  
  
"When I talk to him about what?" asked Duo suspiciously.  
  
Treize smiled charmingly, standing to his full height. "When you convince him to give me a chance. You're going to tell him how serious I am about being with him and how faithful I would be in a monogamous relationship."  
  
There was silence for a moment as Duo thought that through and regarded the older man. Finally, he set his bowl on the counter and looked at Treize. "Have I ever told you that I -don't- lie?"  
  
+  
  
Duo stared. Wufei glared. From twenty feet away, Treize leered.   
  
Back at Pub in a Tub a mere sixteen hours or so after having left, Duo was enjoying his Saturday afternoon much the same way he had enjoyed his Friday evening; which is to say that he was miserable and beginning to hate the world again.  
  
"Maxwell, if you mention his name again, I will be more than happy to shove my tea cup down your throat and watch as you choke on the leaves and porcelain," Wufei said threateningly, his dark eyes daring Duo to 'make his day'. "I have more important things to do with my afternoon than listen to you ramble on about the virtues of a man that has no redeeming values."  
  
"Fine," Duo hissed out angrily, leaning across the table. "Then let's try this. If you don't give him even one chance, he's threatened to kick me out of the building -and- he says that he'll make sure that other landlords around the city blacklist me. If nothing else, at least think of me!"  
  
"Maxwell, I don't care. I'm sorry, but it's true. If you had kept your mouth shut when you first moved in, he would never have known that you knew me, and you wouldn't have to worry about trying to play matchmaker between me and the lecher."  
  
"Gah, 'Fei." Duo groaned as his head hit the table. "I don't want to have to move in with Hilde. Can you imagine? Having to survive the two room prison that she shares with Sally? Bras everywhere, men coming over to be with -them-. It's my hell brought to life."  
  
"It wouldn't be that bad, Maxwell."  
  
"Not that bad!" Duo roared as his head came up, eyes blazing. "I spent the night there two weeks ago and ended up staying awake until three in the morning while the hotties next door went at it like wild animals. It was horrible. I don't think I've ever heard two guys that go at it the way they do."  
  
"How many times did you come just listening to them?" Wufei asked with mild curiosity. Duo rolled his eyes and slumped back against the vinyl seat of the booth. For mid-day, the pub was mostly empty, the only occupants being Tayles behind the counter, he and Wufei, Treize hiding in another booth, and a man that Duo had only caught sight of out of the corner of his eye.  
  
After a moment, Duo admitted grudgingly, "Three. I even asked them if I could join, and they told me that they're 'satisfied' with each other in their relationships and that they 'see no reason to include outsiders. No offense,' end quote. If I didn't like the little blonde so much, I probably would have been offended. They're cute together, though."  
  
"What you need, Duo, is to find someone that doesn't mind your constant chatter, your tireless libido, your screwy landlord, your handsome ex-boyfriend, and your psychotic cousin."  
  
"And someone who falls asleep after sex," Duo added quietly. He took a sip of his gin and tonic and slumped even further into his seat. Wufei didn't say anything, but Duo knew that he had heard him. Their eyes met and Duo looked away. "I met someone, but all I have is a name, a car, and that he knows the future Mayor Peacecraft."  
  
"Weak woman. She'll ruin our city," Wufei said snidely. He quickly reverted to silence. "Do you have any idea where this man could be right now?"  
  
Duo thought about it for a moment and nodded. "He should be at a luncheon with the weak woman and some other people. I was even invited."  
  
"If you have an invitation, then you're not crashing the party," Wufei pointed out, a sly smile on his face. He was looking at Duo with a gleam in his eyes that reminded the braided man of his landlord.  
  
Suddenly, the idea of setting the two up together had dangerous connotations for Duo.  
  
+  
  
It was almost too easy. The luncheon was being held on the lawn of a rather fancy resort. Duo had approached the guard at the gate with a casual gait and a racing heart, and had given his name with more than a little trepidation. The guard had checked his list, nodded, and let Duo through without any trouble what-so-ever.  
  
Something that simple could only be followed by extreme awkwardness and embarrassment, of course. The other guests had already been served and his entrance had brought all eyes around to him. He had stood frozen at the end of the long table, his mouth open but no sound coming out. His eyes had quickly scanned the table and found Relena, but no Heero.  
  
"Mr. Maxwell." Relena rose to greet him, and half of the guests rose as well. "It's a pleasure. I'm sorry that we didn't wait the meal for you. I wasn't certain that you would be attending." She smiled, the look not quite reaching her eyes.  
  
"Um…actually…" He stiffened as a hand was placed on his shoulder. He expected to see a guard there, ready to drag him away, but when he turned his head it was only Heero that looked at him.  
  
"Actually, Relena, we were running so late we almost didn't attend at all," Heero lied glibly. He propelled Duo to two vacant chairs halfway down the table and waited until Relena was seated before pushing Duo into the chair on the left.  
  
Duo smiled uneasily at the woman next to him and the man across from them, his cheeks feeling warm from embarrassment. A hand gripped his and he looked at Heero, feeling confused and out of place. The other man smiled at him, squeezed his hand, and then proceeded to ignore Duo almost completely as they were served.  
  
The event wasn't over after the meal, either. After the table had been cleared, the guests moved on to an afternoon of gossiping, talking, chatting, laughing, and playing mind games with those they believed to be inferior. Duo was asked twenty-six times what he did for a living, twelve times how he and Heero had met, and only twice what his name was. Sometime during the first hour of 'twenty questions' Heero and Relena had both disappeared.  
  
"What did you say you did for a living?" Duo gritted his teeth as yet another guests asked, this time a woman in her late twenties. Her eyebrows were forked and everything in her manner said that she thought that he was beneath her but she was asking anyway.  
  
He smiled at her, his eyes narrowing. "I sit in a tiny corner office and suck up to my unintelligent and rather naïve boss. Then, when his back is turned, I go through all of his work and correct it so that I don't get in trouble for not noticing things. After that, I spend the other half of my day on the phone with busy, 'important' people like you trying to explain that my boss is an idiot and that I work with morons without ever giving 'the customer' the feeling that they're dealing with inadequacy."  
  
"Really?" She said smoothly, her own eyes narrowing. "Does it pay well?"  
  
He opened his mouth to answer her and then snapped his jaw shut again. After a moment, he laughed and she laughed with him. "No. It's a horrible job that pays about half of what it should for the stuff I put up with."  
  
"You poor thing. All of that, and you still have to go home to Heero. You are living together, right?" It was a smooth question, but Duo wasn't fooled.  
  
"No, we don't live together. Although, I don't think that going home to Heero would be all that bad."  
  
"You don't know the half of it, babe." The woman said, leaning closer. "The word on Heero is that he picks up a new toy every other week and drops them just as suddenly."  
  
"Really?" Duo said, copying her tone from earlier. Her eye twitched. "That's funny. Did you know that he picked me up just last night and has already screwed me senseless twice?" He heard a gasp behind him and stiffened as he recognized the pink of Relena's suit out of the corner of his eye. The woman smiled at him cruelly, as if he'd just walked into her trap.   
  
He turned to face Relena and licked his lips. Heero was standing right behind her, his blue eyes emotionless as they rested on Duo.  
  
"I didn't mean that quite the way it sounded," Duo said quietly. The woman in pink looked about ready to pass out from shock, her eyes wide and a hand to her chest. "Sorry, Miss Peacecraft. I probably shouldn't have come today."  
  
That seemed to draw her back to herself. "No. I'm glad you did. It truly has been a pleasure meeting you, Duo." She held out her hand and he took it; instead of shaking it, he kissed the back of her hand and smiled gratefully.  
  
"I haven't had much of a chance to talk to you really, but I think you're pretty okay for a politician."  
  
She laughed slightly. "I think that's one of the most underhanded compliments I've gotten in a while."  
  
Duo released her hand. "I'll be going now." He was surprised to see Heero step forward. It took him a second to realize that the other man was still playing their little charade. He bid his leave of the other woman and walked out with Heero's hand on his elbow.  
  
He was starting to dread the rest of the afternoon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Rae  
> \--  
> After a bad day, a wonderful night and morning, and a stressful and embarrassing afternoon, what will Heero have to say to Duo now? Heh he... but first...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).  
> \------------  
> Warning: AU. Sex. Lots of it. Perverted Treize. And even though it's turning into a series, I'm not even going to insult anyone's intelligence by saying that it has anything resembling a plot. 1x2, talk of 13x5 and 2x5/5x2, and 3x4 (anyone catch that?)

Since the beginning of time, there have been certain facts that every man should understand. A man should act like a man: strong, willful, strong-willed, brave, fair, and intelligent (though the last was the least important in some societies). Chang Wufei was one such man, fulfilling the required quota and then some. Treize Kushrenada was another such man.   
  
Ideally, these men would share some common ground, the similarities between them numerous, if rather vague. They lived in the same building, had college degrees, were respectable, respected, well liked, handsome, strong, sexy, and both had at one point had the hots for Duo Maxwell. Okay, so maybe they shared more in common than Wufei liked to admit.  
  
That didn't mean that he was going to agree with the older man on everything. Varying opinions make relationships more interesting, no matter how platonic or sexual they are, and Wufei was very proud of the fact that he could back up his beliefs in a logical and well- thought out manner, even under the greatest of stress.  
  
"Stand back or I will gut you!" Black eyes shone in fury as Wufei's katana arced out, narrowly missing Treize's arm as the older man stepped back quickly. "I don't appreciate being cornered in my apartment by you, you hentai-minded, sex-fiend!"  
  
"But `Fei," the other man spoke in a cajoling voice. "You invited me in."  
  
"I invited you in to fix the plumbing, not to ravish me!" The ginger- haired man smiled as Wufei took another step back and edged to the left. He enjoyed a good chase and Wufei seemed only too happy to keep running.   
  
"Darling," Treize said as he cut off the dark-haired man's exit route. "I'm here to fix -your- plumbing."  
  
+  
  
The silence was maddening. They had walked away from the resort in silence, they had climbed into Heero's car in silence, and they had driven to the edge of the city in silence. Now Heero was leading Duo up the stairs of a split-level condominium.  
  
They bypassed the door to the bottom condos and unlocked the door to the top studio with a magnetic card key. Heero pushed the door open and motioned Duo inside, still not saying a word. The hallway was shadowy, but maneuverable. Duo walked into the apartment and looked around. "Wow," he said, his voice breaking the wall of silence between them.  
  
The door shut. "I've been living here for three years. The neighbors are friendly, the view is nice, and the walls are soundproof." Duo smiled and turned around to comment on the last, but Heero was already close. He bit back a gasp as Heero placed his hands on Duo's shoulders and pushed him back into the wall gently.   
  
They kissed, their lips opening to receive restless tongues and gasps as their bodies pressed close together. Heero pressed his groin into Duo's, and the braided man lifted his leg and wrapped it around Heero's hip. Their belt buckles clashed and their cocks brushed together through cloth. Duo gasped and Heero moaned, both swallowing the noises of the other as they rocked together.  
  
Heero grabbed Duo's butt with one hand and lifted him up, fitting their bodies tighter together. In response, Duo wrapped both legs around Heero and locked his ankles behind Heero's back. They rubbed against each other, their hands clenching hair as their mouths and tongues danced in a mimicry of sex.  
  
Duo could feel the pressure building, the friction of their rubbing sending him into a mindless state as he tried to crawl into Heero, his tongue diving for Heero's tongue and then coming back up to stroke tongue and mouth and teeth, over and over again. He groaned in protest when Heero broke their kiss, but sighed in pleasure when the blue-eyed man dove for his neck.   
  
He moved his hands from Heero's hair and gripped his shoulders. His legs tightened, increasing the friction between their erections. Suddenly, Heero stiffened and tightened his grip. Duo paused, breathless. For a long moment, neither moved, and then Duo whispered softly, "If you fall asleep this time, I'm going to let you hit your head."  
  
A tongue licked his neck, making him shudder. "I didn't plan on falling asleep," Heero replied, his voice low and dry. He licked at Duo's skin again.  
  
"So, you planned on falling asleep the last two times?" asked Duo, raising one eyebrow and smiling. He felt Heero's body shake slightly in laughter.   
  
"My pants are a mess," Heero commented wryly, making Duo chuckle at the inanity of that statement. "We should probably move this on to a bedroom."  
  
"I knew it! You're just ready to go to sleep again," Duo wouldn't mind in the least, if he at least didn't get stuck under the other man for a third time. Heero shifted, drawing back enough to look into Duo's face, his eyes serious. They kissed again, this time a gentle joining of their lips.  
  
+  
  
Disgruntled? That was probably as good a word as any other to use, Duo thought. He was sitting at the table in Heero's kitchen, his legs up on the chair in front of him as he lounged back, his fingers tapping rapidly on the wooden surface.  
  
His violet eyes were glaring at the far wall, where the clock was ticking itself towards five in the evening. He looked into the other room, where Heero was, and wilted, his anger fading quickly. Heero hadn't fallen asleep in the hallway. Oh, no. He had waited until they were making out on the couch before he simply drifted into slumber, Duo's erection in one hand and the braid in the other. Like the times before, he had simply drifted off shortly after he brought Duo to climax, as if that was some sort of internal cue to pass out. At least Duo hadn't had to fight his way out from underneath him that time.  
  
With a look at his watch, Duo stood up. He placed a blanket over Heero on the couch and went to the phone. He'd already been waiting half an hour for the other man to wake up, but he didn't know how long that would take and he didn't feel like sitting around to time the event, either. He called a taxi and stared at Heero until it arrived.  
  
"Where to, buddy?" The taxi-driver asked when Duo had shut the door.  
  
"The Pub in a Tub, please," Duo said tiredly, leaning back against the bead-covered seat. The driver nodded and they were off, leaving Heero's apartment behind them as they drove to the opposite side of the city.  
  
+  
  
"Explain this to me again," Tayles commanded, leaning against the bar in rapt fascination. The other four early-evening guests were forgotten as Duo recounted the previous twenty-four hours to her in a monotone, his voice quiet as he stared down into his shot glass.   
  
"Three times, Tayles. Three times!" He all but shouted. He lowered his voice and looked up at her earnestly. "Every time I reach orgasm, he passes out. It's not fair. I'm a repeat performer, but he doesn't stay awake long enough for the encore!"  
  
The bartender looked at him for a second in silence, and then broke out laughing. She tried to regain her composure, but it took a moment. "Oh, Duo. I am so sorry." An eyebrow rose in disbelief as she tried unsuccessfully to hide another giggle behind her towel. "And to think that I thought he was The One when you two left last night."  
  
"Yeah, well... so did I," he mumbled at the counter top before he swigged the straight tequila shot and set the glass back down. "It was perfect, too. I have -never- jumped at a guy like that before. I should have known. The perfect guy just doesn't pop out of nowhere."   
  
"Ah, poor Duo." A snide voice broke in as a blonde took the seat next to Duo. He looked at the fork-browed woman from earlier with dismay. "I should have known that I'd catch you in this no-class establishment, drowning away the sorrows of a Yuy-broken heart. You're not the first, sugar, and you won't be the last."  
  
Tayles looked the woman over and took an instant dislike to her. "And you are?"  
  
One forked brow rose and the woman answered snidely, "None of your business." While Tayles seethed with anger, she returned her attention to Duo. "However, -you- may call me Dorothy."  
  
"How about I call you a cab instead?" Tayles offered with a growl, glaring at `Dorothy', her gray-blue eyes dark with anger. She didn't like the woman, the attitude, or the eyebrows, and she didn't feel like putting up with any of them.  
  
That brought Dorothy's attention back to the bartender, the two women glaring at each other for a moment, and Duo sighed, knowing that nothing good could come from such a confrontation. He was about to intervene when Heero sat down on his left. He didn't even have to turn his head to know that it was the blue-eyed man. The hair on the back of his neck was prickling, his body aware of the presence of the other man.  
  
"I'm sorry," Heero said softly, leaning close to Duo's shoulder. "I-"  
  
"Well, if it isn't the man of the hour!" Dorothy exclaimed, turning her attention away from Tayles in a dismissing manner. The bartender blinked and gaped, before scrunching up her face and sticking her tongue out. "Or should I say, the man of the evening, since you've lasted almost a whole day."  
  
Heero looked at her and Duo rolled his eyes. Heero greeted her politely. "Dorothy. What brings you to this side of town?"  
  
"Truffle-hunting." Tayles muttered under her breath, already pouring a glass of ice water for Heero. She set the spray tap back into its holder, set the glass on the table and began to move away to serve another customer before she said something that someone would regret. Duo smothered a smile and turned to look into the mirror behind the bar. "I'm just here to scope out your new play-toy, Heero. I'd hate to think that you were trying to make Relena jealous with your attempts to socialize with unsavory companions."  
  
"I'm not a steak," Duo said, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "And if Heero wants to make her Highness jealous with me, you can back off, because I, for one, am not complaining."  
  
"Oh, I'm impressed. And here I thought that you were just a pretty face. It seems that the spit and fire I saw earlier wasn't just a fluke. I -do- like that in a man."  
  
"Hands off, Dorothy," another voice commanded as Treize sat down on Dorothy's right. "If Duo won't be my toy, he won't be yours, either."  
  
"You must be slipping in your old age, Treize," Dorothy rejoined. "In the old days, the guttersnipe would have been yours, no matter who he was calling master at the time."  
  
"Guttersnipe?" Tayles glared at Dorothy as she passed by on her way to get a drink for another customer. Duo and Heero were the only two to notice her, and the former offered a thin smile.  
  
"I'm not slipping, Dorothy. I've just learned that drawing unsuspecting victims into my web gets tedious after awhile. Right now, I'm on the hunt for a new kind of prey."  
  
"I'm not to be hunted, pervert." Wufei muttered as he sat down on Heero's left and ordered a cup of tea from the still glaring bartender. "Unless you really want to find out how sharp my sword can be."  
  
Duo groaned and collapsed against the bar. The only thing missing to make his day complete was a visit from Hilde or Relena. He felt Heero gently rub his back and was grateful for the small show of support.   
  
"I wouldn't lower myself to play with such refuse, Treize, and I'm offended that you would even assume that I would."  
  
"You play with lower specimens that Duo everyday, why should it surprise me that you'd come up in the world?"  
  
"Touché, Treize. That was a smooth rejoinder for such a vapid nymphomaniac who once slept with his own gardener for lack of a better partner." Four pairs of eyes turned to Treize to see his reaction, but he merely laughed.  
  
"He wasn't a gardener, Dorothy, but it's just like you to be too busy looking at the rest of his assets instead of his face. The gardener, the pizza boy, and the French maid were all the same person. I can't help it if Zechs liked to playact." Wufei snorted, Duo and Dorothy rolled their eyes, and Heero and Tayles stared at him in surprise. He shrugged. "Unlike you, who actually believed that I would lower myself just to compete with you on the number of tricks we could turn in a week."  
  
"You were with Zechs the whole time?" she asked, eyes narrowed. He nodded and she growled. "You bastard! Do you realize that I even sunk so low as to sleep with a junior exec at Catalonia Enterprises? Ugh!"  
  
"You're a real snobby slut, aren't you?" asked another woman derisively. Duo stiffened before turning to look at Hilde. She smiled at him. "Hey, `cuz! What's up? I see that you're keeping interesting company these days!"  
  
"Just wait, I'm sure that it'll get better," Duo mumbled sarcastically. Thankfully, Tayles chose that moment to place another drink on the bar, and he shot it back quickly, hoping that the alcohol would numb his brain before things could get any worse.  
  
"Dorothy? Heero? -Treize-? What are you doing here?" Relena asked shrilly as she appeared in the doorway to the pub. Duo almost burst into tears, but was saved by Tayles, who set a whole bottle of liquor in front of him with a sympathetic smile.  
  
"Drink up, guv. No sense going down with the ship if you can go down before it sinks." She looked at the rest of her customers and wished that she could join him.  
  
+

Heero carried Duo out of the pub about halfway through the bottle of tequila, when a woman named Sally and two men showed up. His first indication that things had escalated? The fact that Duo had looked up and started laughing so hard that he fell off the stool. Twice. The braided man was drunk and giggly, his body a wriggling mass as Heero tried to carry him gently. He started towards his car, but thought better of that when Duo started moaning in an unpleasant way and complained that his `stomach feels all icky and oohhh". He waved down a taxi instead, glad that even though the buses didn't run in that direction, the taxis did. Duo giggled as he was slid into the back seat of a yellow cab, and then laughed outright when Heero slid in beside him and shut the door.  
  
"Ha ha! You're too drunk to drive!" Duo said, loud and gleefully. "Yous've been drinkin'!"  
  
"Actually," Heero corrected, "I haven't had anything stronger than water. You are smashed, however."  
  
"I am, aren't I?" Duo agreed, waving a hand in front of his face.   
  
Heero sighed and leaned against the corner of the door and the seat as Duo stared in fascination at the lights outside of the window. He gave the driver instructions to his apartment and settled back to watch his drunken companion complain as the car started moving "too fast... too fast! I'm gonna barf!"  
  
The complaining erupted into laughter, the laughter giggling, and the giggling into mumbling as Duo crossed the line from drunken stupor to drug-induced sleep. Heero simply watched him with dark eyes and a small, affectionate smile.  
  
+  
  
Duo knew the moment he gained consciousness that his headache wouldn't be half as bad as the embarrassment of knowing that he'd gotten smashed in front of a crowd of people that he'd have to face in the future, including Heero. The second thing he knew when his mind began to work was that he wasn't in -his- bed, he wasn't wearing clothes, and he wasn't alone.  
  
"Good morning," a quiet voice greeted in his ear, warm air washing over the lobe and making him shiver. The arms around Duo's waist shifted, drawing him closer against Heero's -naked- body. Duo grinned, snuggling close and closing his own hands over Heero's.  
  
"Good morning, beautiful," Duo returned the greeting with a happy smile. "I could get used to waking up like this."  
  
"How do you feel?" asked Heero gently, his nose nuzzling Duo's neck.  
  
"Head ache is minimal, pride is shattered, and I'd really rather see no one from last night for the rest of my life. I don't even want to know what happened last night."  
  
"You and your cousin drank Dorothy and Treize under the table, after which, Wufei took Treize home and Relena took Dorothy home. The blonde and his lover got kicked out for getting frisky in the bathroom, your cousin and her roommate helped take them home, and your friend the bartender said that she's charging everything to your account."  
  
"Good, then I didn't do anything really stupid." Duo breathed a sigh of relief before he realized that Heero's body was shaking with laughter. "What did I do?"  
  
"Don't worry, it was on the ride home. I think the next time you see the cab driver, he'll be the one that runs the other way, red in the face," he paused, as if drawing it out for dramatic tension. Duo wasn't amused. He grunted and tried to pull away, but Heero held him tight. "You fell asleep in the cab, but woke up a few minutes before we made it home. You climbed into the front seat and fell into his lap. If you hadn't fallen asleep again, I think you would have given him the... 'ride' of his life."  
  
"Oh, God," Duo groaned, feeling his cheeks flush. He wanted to defend himself and tell Heero that he wasn't that easy, that he didn't just give head to random guys, but his behavior of the last couple days seemed to contradict anything he could say, so he stayed silent.  
  
"Don't worry. I rescued you before he could help by unbuttoning his pants. The bastard thought you were a woman and was all willing until you mumbled something in your sleep something about reciprocating and grabbed your crotch."  
  
Duo cringed. "Kill me now."  
  
"Then you threw up once we got you out of the car. Once on the sidewalk in front of the building, once on each flight of stairs, once outside my door, once in the bathroom, and three times on me during which you managed to miss every surface that didn't include my clothing or skin."  
  
"Gah!" wailed Duo. He collapsed against Heero and the bed, sighing in defeat. There was no way that Heero would want anything to do with him after that. "I'm sorry."  
  
"For what? Being a magnet that attracts weird people? For drinking to get away from all the weird people you attract? For being so beautiful that no one can resist you?" The last was kissed against Duo's neck.  
  
"Please, no matter what else happens, don't let me wake up from this dream," Duo murmured as Heero shifted him to his back and leaned over him, his messy brown hair falling over his eyes as he gazed down at Duo.   
  
"It's not a dream. How often do you dream in NC-17?"  
  
"Up until meeting you, never. Since then... I've had some -very- nice dreams about you," Duo answered smartly, wrinkling his nose and smiling at Heero playfully. "I'd love to show you some of them."  
  
"Mmm. Later. First, I think we have to finish waking up," Heero said as he pressed his lips against Duo's. Something tickled Duo's neck and it took him a moment to realize that Heero was playing with his braid, trailing the tip over Duo's skin. "I love your hair."  
  
"Yeah, well... I'm rather fond of it myself, but at the moment I think it's distracting you from the really important things. Like me." Duo flashed him a smile and leaned forward, searching for and finding Heero's mouth with his own. "Now get back to the kissing and petting before you pass out on me."  
  
"About that... " Heero pulled back again, making Duo sigh in frustration.  
  
"Later, babe. Right now, I'd rather finish waking up before we take a nap together." He tried to speak lightly, but there was a hint of impatience in his voice. Heero regarded him for a few seconds more, and then crushed their lips forcibly together. The times before, there had been an underlying gentleness, a slow tender feeling throughout their mating. This time, Heero's mouth and hands seemed rushed, almost desperate.  
  
Heero's cock pressed against Duo's entrance with no warning or preparation. He didn't push in, but Duo was left with the distinct feeling that his control was paper-thin and shredding even as they rubbed together. Hands gripped his thighs tightly, spreading his legs further even as Heero drew a nipple into his mouth and tongued it roughly.   
  
They twisted on the bed, their bodies glistening with sweat, their breathing heavy as they clutched each other closely. When Heero finally did push into him, the pain threatened to take away all of Duo's pleasure. He winced as Heero surged again and again, his body relaxing gradually as a hand stroked his cock. The other man climaxed first and his seed shot into Duo's body.  
  
Heero stopped and collapsed on top of Duo, leaving him unsatisfied, in pain, and trapped. For the fourth time in less than forty-eight hours, Heero had fallen asleep.   
  
A tear leaked out of the corner of Duo's eye as he closed them both, his head falling back against the pillow. One hand stroked Heero's hair as the other man lay lax against him, their bodies still joined. "This really sucks, Heero. You fall asleep, you -can- be rough, you only seem to want me for the sex, and the only thing I can do is hope that when you wake up, you'll still want at least my body, because I think I'm falling in love with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End note: Poor Duo... *sniffle*... I really think that Heero has issues. And we all know that Duo does. Sorry that I skimped on the lemon. It's not NCS, but it's not my happy go lucky PWP anymore, either. Don't worry, I don't tend to dwell in depression very often or for very long.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Rae

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).  
> \----------  
> Warning: Started as PWP and only has enough plot to get from one lemon to another. 1x2, 13x5, and other assorted couples as I see fit. I've introduced angst and an element that is only partially explained here (keyword: pills). There's a better explanation in the next part.

Sunday afternoons the Pub in a Tub received its regulars, older gentlemen who sat and watched sports on the television after church. Normally, Duo spent Sundays at home going over work, or with his cousin and her roommate, guy watching. This Sunday, however, he wasn't feeling in the best mood to be alone or with his men-obsessed family, so he opted for a median: the Pub in a Tub.  
  
As expected, Tayles was behind the counter, drying glasses that were probably already dry and running a commentary on the game to one of the patrons on a stool. Duo slid into a booth and let his head bang on the table. He knew that she'd see him eventually and come over to talk. She was just what he needed: a friend who didn't expect anything from him but his company on the occasional evening.  
  
"Bloody hell, Duo! What happened to bring my chipper little man so low?" she asked, her accent more pronounced than when she normally greeted him. She pushed him over and sat next to him wrapping one arm around his shoulder in a half-embrace.  
  
He looked at her, his normally violet eyes turned cobalt, the irises darkened with emotion. "What is wrong with me? Why can't I just find a normal guy?" He sighed and looked down at the table. "It never fails. Just when things start to look good, something happens and I'm left feeling more lonely than ever before."  
  
"Ah, Duo." She sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Eventually, you'll find someone who makes you happy. Just because this guy didn't turn out that way-"  
  
"Most guys would be so happy that they're getting laid, and I think I would be too, if it wasn't for him."  
  
"He's not good in bed?" she asked, curious.  
  
"Actually, he's wonderful. Very skilled."  
  
"But that's not the problem, is it?"  
  
"No. You know, I used to jump in bed with anything that walked, and then I made Fei wait because I thought Q-man was right when he said that celibacy would be good for me. But I took one look at Heero and remembered why I used to like having sex, but I'm thinking that it wasn't just physical."  
  
Her brows creased together for a moment in concentration. "I don't understand," she admitted finally, squeezing his shoulder.  
  
"I don't either." And therein lies the problem, Duo thought.  
  
+  
  
Monday dawned gray and miserable, and Duo got up to go to work like he always did. He got dressed in his suit and tie, tucked his braid in, ate a quick and un-tasted breakfast of oatmeal, and then left to find his bus. The ride was uneventful other than getting there, as were the walk to the elevator, the ride upstairs, and the walk to his office.  
  
Of course, nothing can happen for only so long before something happens. On his door was a note from his supervisor, informing him that he had less than an hour to prepare for a surprise presentation with some hotshot exec. Duo ripped the note down and threw it away, mumbling "Same shit, different day" as he got to work.  
  
Forty-five minutes later, a woman knocked on his door to inform him that he was thirty seconds shy of being late. He groaned, picked up his briefcase and files, and shuffled into the hallway after her. "Bad weekend, Duo?" Noin asked calmly. He rolled his eyes, doubting that she really cared. She was one position away from having his job and he knew that she'd like nothing better than to step onto his rung and knock him down.  
  
"It was peachy. Like a mini-vacation with a side trip to hell." She looked at him sharply, her lips pressing together. Tiredly, he grinned back. She frowned when she noticed that most of his usual charm was missing. He shrugged. "Don't worry yourself. Another few days of this and you can have any job you want, because I'll have snapped and killed all of the senior executives."  
  
She looked at him sharply but let it slide as they walked into the conference room. Une held the door for them, but didn't shut it once they were inside, signaling that she was waiting for someone else. Duo took his seat and let his briefcase thump down beside him as he waited, not bothering to take out the reports he would be asked for. Let the bastard vice-president that ran the meeting know that he was unprepared. He couldn't care less.  
  
Until a familiar man walked into the room and shocked everyone into silence. Heero strode purposefully to the chair at the front of the room and sat in it, instantly taking control. Une sat on his left after shutting the door and everyone else held their breaths.  
  
"My name is Heero Yuy. Your company is merging with Gundam Enterprises, a subsidiary of Winner Corp. Your president and vice- president have agreed to our buy-out and have left the bulk of their employees in the hands of our company, which means that you all now work for me. Anyone that has a problem with that will be offered a buy-out at the end of the week, but -everyone- is expected to fulfill the requirements of their jobs until then."  
  
Duo stared at him in stunned fascination as Heero began to methodically go through a list in his hands.  
  
+  
  
The meeting was ended shortly before the scheduled lunch hour, and Duo was only too happy to run to the sanctity of his office, shutting and locking the door behind him before he curled into his chair in the darkness.  
  
The meeting had been a total disaster. Heero had informed everyone, including Duo, that they're work wasn't up to par with GE standards and that they'd all have to improve their quality, suffer a demotion, or take the buy-out.  
  
Now Duo had to redo his work to satisfy his new boss, who also happened to be his weekend lover, who also happened to be the man he'd complained about work in front of, who also happened to be the man that Duo was afraid he was falling in love with. All in all, Heero would not have been his first choice for a boss.  
  
A knock sounded on the door and he looked up to see the shadows of two people in the light spilling under it. He kept quiet and waited for them to go away, but the people on the other side of the door murmured something and then a key scraped in the lock, making him realize that he wasn't getting away that easily.  
  
He stood up and stomped across the small space, throwing the door open as he flicked the light on. He stared defiantly at Heero and Une, who stood on the other side. "Is there something I can help you with?"  
  
Une looked at him with surprise, but Heero seemed undaunted. She regained her composure and said authoritatively, "Mr. Yuy has informed me that you know each other, and with your knowledge of the company, I think it would be best if you showed him around."  
  
"Yeah, sure," Duo agreed easily enough. "But after I eat."  
  
She gaped at him, taken aback with his attitude. Heero simply nodded. "I'll bring the car around."   
  
Then he was gone, and Une was left standing outside Duo's door as he shut it, her mind trying to figure out what had just happened. Her new boss, who she had accepted at once as having nerves of steel and a dislike of taking orders, had just complied with Duo Maxwell, the young man she -knew- would always be more of a follower than a leader.  
  
Somehow, something seemed seriously wrong, but she didn't think that she wanted to know what it was.  
  
+  
  
"Well, well. If it isn't the happy couple," Dorothy crooned sarcastically the moment Duo and Heero entered the pub. "I'm surprised, Heero. I don't think any of your other toys have lasted this long."  
  
"Probably because he isn't a `toy', you delusional wench," Tayles called almost cheerfully from behind the counter. Duo blinked at her in confusion and she gave him a jaunty wave. "Afternoon, guv. What's your pleasure?"  
  
Duo started for the counter, but Heero steered him for a booth in the back corner. "We'll have two club sandwiches and two ice waters, please."  
  
"Um, yeah," Duo sat down in the booth and leaned across the table to stare at Heero as the other man sat across from him. "I can order for myself, you know."  
  
"Which would you prefer to do, Duo? Argue or talk?" Heero asked calmly. Tayles brought them their water, spared a dark, suspicious glance at Heero, and went back behind the bar. Dorothy was sitting at the far end of the bar on a stool, a red drink in a fluted glass in front of her.  
  
Duo looked at Heero and shrugged. "I guess I'd rather talk, since we didn't manage that once all weekend." He reached across the table and held out his hand. "Hi, I'm Duo Maxwell."  
  
"Yuy Heero," Heero shook his hand with a small smile. "It's nice to meet you, Duo."  
  
Determined not to be charmed, though that smile hit him straight in the gut, he withdrew his hand and leaned back. "My biggest secret is that I used to be a whore, and then I was celibate, and this last weekend, I picked up a strange guy that falls asleep almost immediately after sex."  
  
"My biggest secret is that I've been taking a drug that is supposed to increase a man's sex drive, but just this morning I was informed that any physical exertion could cause me to lose consciousness."  
  
"You're on a drug that makes you pass out?" Duo asked skeptically, though he leaned a little closer to the table. Heero nodded, but refrained from comment as Tayles set their plates on the table. She looked at Duo and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Everything okay, guv?" He nodded and smiled slightly. She seemed to relax and even offered Heero a smile. "Since you two seem to be getting on, I'm going to go deal with the saucy wench at my bar." She paused and asked Heero quietly, "Any idea how I can get rid of her?"   
  
He hesitated before answering and then waved her closer, so that he could whisper in her ear without Duo overhearing. When he was done, she pulled back and stared at him with wide eyes.  
  
"Bloody hell! Do you think I'm that much of a loon? Gah!" she huffed and stomped away.   
  
One of Duo's eyebrows rose. "What did you say to her?"  
  
"Nothing much. If she's smart, she'll do as I said," he answered cryptically. Duo turned to watch the bartender as she stalked behind the counter. She stopped at the sink and picked up a washcloth, her head down. Slowly, she looked up and glanced at Dorothy. The other woman was watching her and their eyes met. Tayles threw the rag down and walked towards Dorothy, her face set.  
  
Tayles said something and Dorothy looked stunned, but then she smiled and nodded. Tayles nodded and turned and stomped away. Shortly after, Dorothy placed her money on the table and left.  
  
"Okay, now you have to explain that, "Duo said, turning back to face Heero. He swallowed hard: the blue-eyed man was leaning across the table, his eyes dark, lips twisted upwards. "Heero?" Duo exhaled the name breathlessly. A smile slowly crept up his face. "You didn't take any of those pills today, did you?"  
  
"Nope." Heero shook his head, his lids half-closed over his eyes.  
  
"Want to take our lunch back to the office? I heard that the vice- president's office is soundproof."  
  
"Really? What a coincidence. I just took over that office." He smirked as he said it. "Shall we hurry with our lunch and head back?"  
  
Duo was quick to agree.  
  
+  
  
They walked back into the office building side-by-side. Heero looked much the same as when they had left, but Duo was wearing a big grin. Noin took one look at them and kissed away her hopes for Duo's job. Une actually blocked their way to ask if they'd had a chance to tour yet.  
  
"No. Maxwell and I were just going up to my office to look over his report. We agreed that it would be easiest to form a -working- relationship," he lightly stressed the second to last word, but Une wasn't sure if she'd heard it, "if he knew exactly what I wanted from him."  
  
Duo smothered a chuckle behind a cough and tried to look as innocent as possible. What they were really planning on doing was christening Heero's office in the most unprofessional of ways. They got into the elevator, and he waved goodbye to Une. When the doors closed behind them, Une looked at Noin.  
  
"Is it just me?"  
  
The dark-haired woman shook her head. "No."  
  
Une sighed. "I'm going to get a drink. Office policy be damned. I haven't seen Maxwell that happy since the last time he replaced my white out with glitter nail polish."  
  
"He grinned at me like that the day he ordered lunch for everyone on the fourth floor in my name."  
  
+  
  
They stopped the elevator on the third floor by accident. Heero had pressed Duo against the control panel, and their activity had caused Duo to press into the `stop' button. They broke apart, laughing in amused frustration as they restarted the elevator.  
  
The top floor of the office building was reserved for the president, vice-president, and the peons directly beneath them on the executive ladder. Heero and Duo walked towards Heero's office with single- minded intensity, but were thwarted by Dorothy's presence.  
  
"Ah, here come the happy lovers now. Heero, I've talked to Relena and she agrees that you can stop taking the hormones now. Since they're not going to do her any good, she doesn't care what you do with them. I told her that the side effects would be enough to counter any happiness the pills could bring you, but the thought of the runt there enjoying her secret weapon was just too much."  
  
"Secret weapon?" Duo asked, confused. Heero simply stood there, staring at Dorothy for a moment before he sighed.  
  
"My office, please. Dorothy, you are not invited."  
  
She shrugged, taking no offense to his attitude. "Have fun, stud."   
  
He ignored her and followed Duo into his office, shutting and locking the door behind him.  
  
He was instantly besieged by Duo, who pinned him against the door with his body. "Talk later, play now." Duo kissed him as he pulled him down. They lay out on the floor, Heero leaning over Duo and looking down at his lover. Duo looped his arms loosely around Heero's neck, smiling up at him.   
  
Heero placed his left hand on Duo's chest and gently smoothed the material of his shirt, his fingers playing with each of the buttons without undoing them. Duo crossed his right leg over Heero's left and brought their hips and thighs together.   
  
They kissed again, smiling into each other's mouths. Duo rested his right hand on Heero's shoulder, his left on Heero's hip. A hand tangled in his braid, holding his head down as Heero invaded his mouth with a gentle tongue, the muscle dancing playfully with his own.  
  
They made love slowly, peeling their clothes off in layers. Heero pulled Duo's braid free and trailed it out so that it lay coiled on the floor. For the first time, they took the time to learn the other's body, kissing and licking at their own leisure as the workday wore on. Duo laved at the sensitive area on Heero's side that he had found once before, while Heero's hands rubbed erotic patterns into the skin of his hips, thighs, and buttocks.  
  
Naked bodies pressed together finally, Heero supporting himself on his elbows so that he could look down at Duo as he rubbed his erection against Duo's entrance. He watched as Duo's breath caught, his neck arching back in the throes of passion as his hips bucked. His chest rose and fell with each breathless pant as Heero slowly entered him, pushing through the puckered entrance with maddening slowness.  
  
They had no lubrication or condoms, nothing to make the joining less painful for Duo, but the braided man had refused to let go of Heero. Wordlessly, he had pressed his body to Heero's, his legs wrapping around the other man's body to hold him in place as his hands clenched on Heero's shoulders.  
  
It was painful, but Duo stifled the sounds of pain that invaded his throat and instead concentrated on the feeling of the man above him, focusing all of his attention on the sensation of touching him and being touched by him. When finally their bodies were joined, Heero pressed a kiss against his forehead.  
  
"You really are something, you know that?" he asked Duo, his voice soft. A violet eye slitted open and looked up at him before the other followed, until Duo was staring up at him.  
  
"Just know that if you fall asleep on me this time, we're done." He tried to say it jokingly, but Heero caught the undertone of bitterness in his voice. It shouldn't have had a place in their love- making, but it was there in the words, the expression, everything.   
  
He kissed Duo's jaw, his cheek, and his ear. "I'm sorry." Duo opened his mouth just as Heero rolled his hips, and whatever he had been about to say was lost in a throaty moan. He smiled and repeated the action. Duo's nails dug into his shoulders, but he didn't mind. The look of rapture on Duo's face as he flexed his hips for the third time was enough to drown out everything else.  
  
He used one hand to push himself up and reached the other between their bodies to grasp Duo's cock. As he pulled in and out of Duo, he stroked Duo's penis in time to the rhythm, keeping both slow to reduce the abrasive quality of mating without lube.  
  
In a matter of minutes, he brought Duo to orgasm, his own body nearly tumbling over the edge when Duo tightened around him. His hand and chest became sticky with Duo's seed and he smiled at the sight of his lover, replete beneath him.  
  
They snuggled close together, putting off the time that they'd have to find a way to get cleaned up and join the rest of the world. Heero rolled onto his back, pulling Duo with him until the braided man was half-lying on his lover, his head resting on his chest.  
  
"If I tell you something, will you promise not to freak?" Duo asked quietly. Heero grunted affirmatively, his hand playing along the length of Duo's braid absent-mindedly. The pills weren't completely out of his system, but he was fighting their effect as best he could. "You're the first person I've been with in two years, except for Wufei. And Wufei is just a really long story."  
  
"Hm-hm." Heero mumbled when Duo paused, obviously waiting for him to say something.  
  
"Back when I slept with anything that would walk, I didn't even think that sex could be something more. Then Quatre and I had our heart to heart and I decided that I wanted sex to mean something. The first time that Wu and I had sex, I knew he wasn't The One, and that was pretty much it."  
  
"Mm?"  
  
"But the moment I saw you, I wanted you. It was physical, there's no doubt about that, but it went deeper, too. I knew the moment I heard you speak that you were the one I wanted. You were The One."  
  
"... "  
  
Duo growled. "Fucking hell! You fell asleep again, just in the middle of my bloody speech!" He paused to draw in a deep breath. "Now I'm swearing like Tayles. I guess since you're not awake to freak out on me, this is as good a time as any to tell you that I'm in love with you." No response. He lifted his head to look at Heero. "It would figure."  
  
He laid his head back down and decided that a quick nap wouldn't hurt him. He snuggled closer to Heero and closed his eyes. "I -do- love you, Heero. You narcoleptic freak [1]."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] This is not to offend anyone that has narcolepsy or to offend those that know someone with narcolepsy. Narcs are not freaks, nor should they be treated as such.
> 
> End note: Well... that was fun. I wonder what Tayles said to Dorothy... actually, -I- know, but the rest of you have to wait until the next chapter.
> 
> A quick note: Tayles is based on the girl that beta-ed this fic. Back when FF.net was still working worth a damn, she was my 500th review and I started Contact as a gift fic to her. It was supposed to be a one-shot *grins*. Her requirements: 1x2. Lemon. OC-insertion (namely her). When I started expanding it, she volunteered to beta it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Rae   
> \--  
> The weekend is over: Duo and Heero have rejoined the world in their own... lemony fashion, but things aren't as resolved as Duo wants them to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Waking up to find himself cleaned had happened to Duo too often that weekend for him to be too surprised. He was lying on a couch in Heero's office; his shirt was placed over him, covering his body. Heero was sitting at his desk, fully dressed, typing.  
  
"Let me finish this file, Duo, and we'll go to dinner." His voice washed over Duo, making him tingle.  
  
"Cool. Does that mean I can go `as is'?" asked Duo smartly, standing up and letting the shirt drop to the floor. Heero didn't even look up or pause in typing.  
  
"I wouldn't mind, but there are laws against streaking and I would hate to see you carted off to jail au natural. I'd bail you out as quickly as possible, of course, but who knows what would happen to you while behind bars?"  
  
"You're a sick minded little man, Heero Yuy."  
  
"Yuy Heero," he corrected.   
  
Duo looked at him blankly. "Huh?"  
  
"It is Japanese custom when addressing someone by their full name, to use their first name last and vice versa."  
  
"Uh-huh." Duo sucked his lower lip in and let it out with a small, considering sound. "Yeah well. It is American custom to look at someone when you're talking to them."  
  
Heero paused in his work and looked up. "The sooner I finish this, the sooner we can go out and I can feed you."  
  
"Ya know, if I thought you meant literally spooning food into my mouth in a somewhat seductive manner, I'd jump at the thought, but I think you're meaning something more along the lines of an expensive dinner at an equally expensive restaurant."  
  
"You have a problem with that?" Heero's lips twitched and he regarded Duo for a moment before resuming his work.  
  
Duo looked at his watch and noted that it was past office hours. Everyone else should have left. He yanked his pants on, his anger boiling just beneath the surface. If Heero noticed the jerkiness of his movements, he gave no indication. When Duo was as dressed as he cared to be, which meant his shirt was on but not buttoned, he grabbed the rest of his clothes and stalked to the door.  
  
He opened it, and gained Heero's attention. "Where are you going?"  
  
"Home, Heero. My home." He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, but neither staved his temper. "You can take your expensive dinner and shove it. I don't know what to think of you. That first night, you were like a heaven-sent dream come true and waking up to you the morning after was beyond anything I could have expected. I blame myself for coming to find you at the luncheon, but you didn't seem to mind."  
  
"Duo-" started Heero, only to be cut off by a sharp movement of Duo's hand.  
  
"No! Listen. I didn't mind the whole `pass-out after sex' deal. The whole situation seems fishy to me, but I could deal with that. I just wanted to be with you. I guess that in Japanese culture, that translates another way. I didn't expect this afternoon, but I'm grateful for it."  
  
"Duo, calm down. I don't know why you're in such a dither-"  
  
"Shut up, you patronizing bastard." Duo gritted his teeth and internally winced when Heero blinked at him. "Listen. I want to spend time with you. Some time that doesn't include sex."  
  
"You made a point of telling me that you were a proficient lover, Duo. I would have thought that you'd be happy with what we've been doing."  
  
"Sex isn't everything," he cried, and then paused as he realized what had just come out of his mouth. He shook it off. "If you had listened to me, you would have known that I haven't had sex in almost two years. The first two years of college, I was a virtual whore, I'll admit it. I slept with anything that walked, crawled, or looked at me."  
  
"You've mentioned that before," Heero said coldly, leaning stiffly back in his chair.  
  
"There's more. I made the mistake of sleeping with my best friend, shortly before he met his soul mate. After that, he was on this kick about `sex should be with someone you care about' and all that trite crap. Then one of the girls I'd been sleeping with came up positive for HIV and I realized that I was just leading myself around in circles until someone finally found a gun to shoot me with."  
  
"Duo-"  
  
"Listen! So, I stopped. Cold turkey. I refused to have sex with anyone, even those partners that claimed they were clean. I waited six months, got my test, came out negative and haven't gone back that way since. That was three years ago. I had started seeing Wufei about a year before that all happened. I wouldn't have sex with him. It was like... before, I was teasing him. It gave me power over him.  
  
"Then after all that happened, it was self-preservation. I knew that he'd been faithful throughout that whole time, but I had this deep fear that the very next time I had sex, I'd contract some horrible disease that no one had heard of yet, and I'd die in a sweltering, putrid mass of yellow slime."  
  
"Morbid," Heero commented, no longer trying to stop Duo.  
  
"Yeah, it was. Anyways, a year ago he finally drove me too far, and I slept with him. I knew after that that we'd never work. There was no connection with him, no spark. I had to break up with him, but I was so afraid of hurting him. My solution was to get drunk and break up with him then, but things backfired and we ended up having sex two more times that night. We broke up the following morning."  
  
"And have been great friends since?"  
  
"Something like that. There's been no one since him." He stared deeply into Heero's eyes, hoping that he'd understand. "Until you. I just wanted you to understand what I mean when I say that as great as the sex is, it's not enough. -Especially- not if I'm working with you. I can't do this sort of thing, Heero."  
  
"The sex is great, but it's not enough. What does that have to do with dinner?"  
  
"A fancy dinner serves two purposes. To impress a future conquest, or to appease the conquered."  
  
"Or to impress a lover," interjected Heero. Duo shook his head.  
  
"Think about it, Heero. How eager are you for a long sit-down? A deep conversation?" The other man didn't answer. "I didn't think so." He opened the door. "I'll have the report ready to you by tomorrow afternoon, Yuy-sama." He bowed low and left, shutting the door behind him.  
  
Heero stared at the door long after he had left.  
  
+  
  
"I'm going to kill Maxwell when I get my hands on him," Wufei muttered into his green tea. Tayles made a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat and then moved on to serve another customer. It was with relief that she saw Duo enter the pub a little later, but that feeling was short lived.  
  
His braid was a mess, his hair sticking up and to his head in odd places. His jacket was off, his pants wrinkled, and his shirt was only half-buttoned. [**^1^**] . He was frowning; his violet eyes dark as he walked across the pub and settled forlornly onto the stool next to Wufei.  
  
The black-haired man turned to look at him and immediately started growling. When Duo didn't even acknowledge him, he pursed his lips and stared at his ex-boyfriend.  
  
"What's your problem, Maxwell?"  
  
"I'm an idiot," Duo answered simply, slumping forward farther until he was lying half-on top of the bar. Tayles placed a shot of clear alcohol near his head, but he didn't even spare it a glance.  
  
"Nobody's arguing with that, Maxwell, but I was referring more to your... "  
  
"You look glum, guv, and it isn't `ealthy. What has you so down?" Tayles interrupted softly and quickly. She placed a hand on his head and smoothed his hair down. "What has the monster done this time? Fallen asleep again?"  
  
Duo sighed and shook his head as well as he could with his head down. His cheek smacked against the bar and he closed his eyes. "Nothing, really. He wanted to go to dinner. A nice dinner out. Expensive meal, discreet waiters, romantic atmosphere. The whole jazz, I'm sure."  
  
"Then why on earth are you here?" Wufei asked, his eyes nearly bugging out. Duo grunted. "You could be out having sex in his car again, and yet you're here, unable to even drown your sorrows."  
  
"I don't want to have sex with him," Duo started, but then paused. "Take that back. I want sex, but I want something more. I want to talk to him. I want to learn about him and his family. I've just started to notice that he never talks to me. That night here was the only exception. Any other time, and he talks at me, like I'm a child. Even earlier, he had this superior air."  
  
"He's a man of business, Maxwell. He's used to dealing with peons everyday," Wufei said unhelpfully. Tayles rolled her eyes at him and moved the glass away. He narrowed his eyes at her, daring her not to serve him. She ignored him and focused on Duo.  
  
"Give him time, Duo. He just needs a chance to get to know you."   
  
"What if he doesn't want to get to know me?" he countered, looking up. His eyes were bleak. "I am -so- fucking confused at this point that it isn't funny, Tayles. I don't know which way is up."  
  
"Up is the way in which you -aren't- going," Dorothy said calmly, taking the stool next to him and facing him. "What happened this time?" Duo refused to answer. "Listen, lover-boy, be nice and I'll help you out with the sex-machine, okay?"  
  
"Must you be such a vulgar chit?" Tayles asked, her blue-gray eyes narrowed. Dorothy regarded her for a moment, her head tilted regally. Then she smiled.  
  
"Of course." She turned her attention back to Duo. "Heero and Relena were raised together. Until three years ago, it was accepted by both of their families that they would marry. However, Heero being gay was a big deterrent to that and the engagement was dropped. With the upcoming election, Relena's chances of becoming mayor could be influenced if someone found out that the man she was going to marry once upon a time is gay."  
  
She paused and the other three narrowed their eyes at her impatiently. Tayles pointed a finger. "Finish, wench."  
  
"Of course, my dear girl," she smirked. "It was easy enough to convince Relena that she would have to find a way to woo Heero back to her. The pills were a double-edged sword. She would move in on him after he'd taken one, when his defenses were down do to the effects of the drug."  
  
"Basically, he'd be too horny to argue when she jumped him?" Duo supplied.  
  
She chuckled and nodded. "After the act, she was to convince him that he'd proposed. To Heero, a commitment is a commitment, drunk or not. He would have wed her and she'd have gotten her way."  
  
"She was just going to have sex with him?" Duo was nauseated by the thought. "She knows that he doesn't want her, but she's willing to trap him any way she can?"  
  
"Was. Now that there's someone else in the picture, she wants nothing more to do with it. She's going to use her friendship with you and Duo as a boost. "A modern mayor with a balance of contemporary out looks and old-fashioned values."  
  
"Great for her," Wufei said grumpily, sliding off his stool. "I wouldn't have voted for that weak woman any way, but that cements my vote against her." He put money on the table and left. Dorothy looked at Duo.  
  
"After today, you should have no problems getting him to perform repeatedly, so don't be discouraged if he fell asleep this afternoon."  
  
"That's not it," Duo said softly, turning his face away. Dorothy shrugged and looked at her watch, and then at Tayles.  
  
"Ten o-clock, Midori." Then she, too, was gone, leaving Tayles and Duo alone at the bar.  
  
"Midori?" Duo questioned. Tayles blushed.  
  
"My last name," he looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "She insisted, so I told her!" She huffed and turned to walk away, but he grabbed her hand, putting his own worries at the back of his mind.  
  
"What did you say to her earlier?" She tried to pull away, but he held tight. She sighed.  
  
"Your boyfriend said that she was only sticking around because she probably had a thing for me. He said that if I asked her out and he was wrong, she'd be offended and leave, but that if I was right, I could probably get her to leave anyone to prepare." She frowned. "I just wanted her out of the bar."  
  
"You have a -date- with her?" He asked, incredulous. She nodded glumly. "Oh, Tayles. I'm so sorry. That makes my love life look happy."  
  
She sighed and yanked her arm back; this time he let go. "Don't go making a big deal out of it. Unlike you, I'm up to being wined and dined at an expensive restaurant."  
  
"Have fun." He picked up the shot of liquor and downed it, gasping. "I guess that you didn't need the Everclear [2]?" His eyes boggled as he stared at her  
  
+  
  
Wufei closed the door to his apartment with a weary sigh. He hadn't seen Treize on his way upstairs, but that didn't mean much. The man had an uncanny ability to appear when Wufei was least expecting him. He reached out to flip the light on and walked fully into the main room. He paused. All of his furniture was pushed against the walls, leaving the center clear. A throat cleared and he looked up to see Treize standing in entrance of his bedroom, leaning nonchalantly against the wall.  
  
"Hello, Wufei. I'm glad to see that you've finally decided to join me." The older man smiled charmingly. Wufei ran quickly to his sword, surprised that Treize hadn't removed it first thing after their last incident. The reason why was made clear when Treize straightened up and moved forward. He was holding a sword in his right hand.  
  
"Listen, Kushrenada. This is my apartment and you have no right to enter it without my permission, landlord or no."  
  
"My dear Chang, you are sorely mistaken. I have every right to be here. After all, you are here, and to me, that is enough reason for my presence."   
  
Wufei held the katana to his side, the blade pointed out. "I'm assuming that you're here to duel this out. What is the prize for winning?"  
  
Treize smiled. "That's the spirit. If you win, I will be your willing slave. If I win... " He grinned. "If I win, you are mine."  
  
Wufei thought about it, but could see no other way around it. He brought his blade in front of his face. "I accept."  
  
"Good." Wufei attacked first, taking the offense. Their swords clashed together as Treize blocked. The sound of metal scraping on metal filled Wufei's ears as their swords rubbed against each other. They broke apart and he raised his sword, ready for Treize's next move.  
  
"Come on, old man. Let's see what tricks you have up your sleeve."   
  
Treize stepped forward, but didn't attack. He looked regal; he was wearing a blue jacket with ruffles at the neck and cuffs, his legs clad in tight, white pants.   
  
"I didn't realize that you were truly a swordsman, Wufei. I had assumed that it was all show. Silly me, to have underestimated such a worthy opponent." Wufei struck again, using both of his arms as he slashed downwards with the sword. Treize countered, spinning to the side and parrying with his own weapon.   
  
Wufei squeezed the hilt tightly, and then relaxed his grip. Treize was already breathing hard; all he had to do was outlast the older man, and he would be victorious. He narrowed his eyes, and then lunged forward again. This time, he kept swinging his arm, forcing Treize to continuously defend himself.   
  
He was matched blow for blow with a block. Treize's ability to neutralize his attack earning him a new admiration in Wufei's eyes. They moved slowly toward one side of the living room as he backed Treize closer to the wall, hoping to corner him there.   
  
Suddenly, Treize was attacking, forcing him back. His eyes widened when he realized that the older man's attacks were as good, if not better, than his own. Not to be so easily swayed, Wufei worked hard to defend himself, looking for and using every opening he saw. He blocked a blow aimed at his head, ducked, and swept back inside. He used the momentum of his turn to reach up and rip the other sword from Treize's hand. He stepped quickly under his arm and stepped out of range, holding both swords. "Victory is mine."  
  
"So it is," Treize concurred. He bowed gallantly, one arm over his waist. "Your wish is now my command."  
  
"You're seriously going to go through with it?" Wufei asked. He had thought that Treize would back down in the face of defeat. He hadn't expected this humble acceptance of his loss. It put the older man in a new light.  
  
"Of course. A deal is a deal, Chang Wufei, and I honor my word."   
  
Wufei returned the extra sword to its master. Treize accepted it, sheathed it, and then started for the door.  
  
"Wait!" Treize stopped and turned around. "You said that you were my slave. I didn't give you permission to leave. Come back here." The older man raised an eyebrow, but did as he was bidden. Wufei handed him his own katana. "Clean this."  
  
He watched as the older man took it with a confused frown. It was against custom for anyone but the owner to clean a sword, but he was entrusting it to another. Treize eyed him patiently and pointed out the kit to him.  
  
It took ten minutes for Treize to clean both blades to Wufei's satisfaction. When he was done, Wufei placed them both carefully on the mantle above the fireplace. He stayed with his back to Treize for several minutes before he built up his resolve. "Come." He walked to his bedroom, leaving Treize to follow behind. "Shut the door." Treize shut it. Wufei, with his back to the door and Treize, spread his arms and legs out. "Undress me." He tried to keep his voice authoritative, but it wobbled, showing his nervous intent.   
  
Treize grinned and walked forward. He pressed against Wufei's back and reached his arm around to unbutton the other man's shirt. He took his time, his face turning into Wufei's hair to breath deeply of the other man's scent. He could feel Wufei trembling in his arms, but the dark-haired man said nothing.  
  
When the shirt was undone, Treize untucked it from Wufei's pants and slowly peeled it down his arms as Wufei lowered them. Next came the pants, with Treize's hands resting against Wufei's abdomen as he slowly unbuttoned the polyester material. He pulled the tab of the zipper down and brushed Wufei's penis with his hand. The younger man bucked against the touch, but stayed silent.  
  
"Should I call you `Master'," asked Treize. Wufei shuddered against him and shook his head. His jaw was clenched and it was obvious that he was trying to hold back his verbal responses to Treize's touch. "Can I call you `Fei, like Duo does?"  
  
"No!" Wufei said sharply. He took a deep breath and said more calmly, "Please don't. If you must call me anything, call me Chang."  
  
"With pleasure, Chang." He breathed the word out, sending it along with his breath to graze Wufei's ear. It elicited a moan and a shuddery breath. He hooked his thumbs into the tops of Wufei's briefs and slid them unhurriedly down Wufei's legs, his eyes trailing after the cloth, his hands aching to skim that same path.  
  
Wufei stepped out of the last article of clothing and moved away. Treize held back his disappointment and waited. Wufei was too honorable to take him that far without some idea of going further. He simply had to be patient. The raven-haired man stopped and turned around, his head held high, his body bare to Treize's scrutiny. Wufei was not tall, but his legs were long and lean, well muscled and evidenced of exercise. His whole body looked sinewy and strong, without being buff. Treize's eyes were drawn downward, past the hairless chest, to the black hair at the apex of his thighs. Raven- colored hair protected the base of his erect penis, giving the red muscle a striking backdrop.  
  
"Well?" Wufei asked, his voice sharp. He was fighting with embarrassment and modesty. Treize smiled.  
  
"What would you have me do, Chang?" He spread his arms wide and held back a smirk with Wufei frowned. Obviously, Wufei had expected him to take charge once he'd initiated it. Treize had no intention, however, of doing anything more than he was asked for.  
  
Wufei licked his lips. "Come to me." Treize did so willingly, but stopped just short of touching him. He could see the frustration in Wufei's dark eyes plainly. "Damn it, Treize! You're not making this easy."  
  
"I'm sorry, Chang. What would you have me do to rectify the problem?" He smiled smugly at the younger man.  
  
Wufei grabbed him by the jacket and pulled him down so that they were nose-to-nose. "Knock it off. Do whatever it is you've been wanting to do to me and get it over with, okay?"  
  
"Gladly." Treize gripped the back of his head and pulled their faces the last few centimeters between them, pressing his lips against Wufei's in a searing kiss. Wufei returned it eagerly, his hands moving down to draw Treize closer. The older man's clothes inhibited him and he pulled back, his hands already working quickly at the buttons. Treize grinned. "Eager?"  
  
"Just shut up and help me get these damn clothes off of you," Wufei growled. Treize grabbed the hem of his jacket and ripped the buttons apart in one move. Underneath, he wore a thin white shirt, which Wufei was quick to pull over his head. Before Wufei had a chance to reach for them, he was pulled back into Treize's embrace, his mouth sought and found in an open-mouthed duel of tongues.  
  
They moved slowly towards the bed, their arms trying to draw the other ever closer as they kissed and rubbed. Wufei felt his legs hit the bed. He pulled Treize down and spun them around so that he landed on top. He grinned down at the older man, his hair escaping his ponytail to frame his face. "Mine, right?"  
  
"Absolutely," Treize replied. He leaned up and captured Wufei's lips again, his arms moving around the slender body above his, his hands moving down to cup Wufei's derriere. "And later, you can be mine."  
  
"Mmm... we'll see. For right now, we have a problem, my slave." Wufei said, smiling. He wiggled his hips his cock rubbing against the imprint of Treize's through the tight material of his pants. "I don't have anything up here. So, either we stop now, we go down to your place-"  
  
"Or we get in my jacket pocket and get the tube I brought with me."   
  
He leered, his eyebrows waggling suggestively. "I'm always prepared, sexy. Don't worry about that."  
  
"Then we need to get these pants out of the way." Wufei ran one hand down Treize's hip and brought his knee up to rest between his thighs. "Take them off."  
  
He rolled off of Treize and watched as the other man stood and quickly discarded the last of his clothing. His body was well proportioned. Where Wufei was on the slender side, Treize was filled out, his musculature well defined. He had hair on his chest, ginger- colored like that on his head, and short, like that between his legs. Wufei licked his lips in anticipation. He lay on his back as Treize came back. He moved to spread his legs, but Treize stopped him by straddling them. "I'm yours, remember. That means that -you- get to do all of the work."  
  
"I could command otherwise," Wufei pointed out. The older man grinned and settled against Wufei so that his cock pressed against the cleft of his ass. He gasped and arched upwards, already envisioning that tight heat surrounding him. "You forgot the lube."  
  
"So I did," Treize sighed and stood up again. Wufei collapsed back on the bed. He closed his eyes and waited. Treize returned a second time and resettled his weight into the same position as before. His hands roamed over Wufei's chest and down his side. A finger dipped into his belly button.  
  
"Stop that!" Wufei forced out, his body not sure whether to moan in pleasure or giggle at the slight tickle. "Roll over, onto your back."  
  
Treize complied. "Are you sure I can't call you master?"  
  
"Call me `Master' and I'll leave you where you are."  
  
"Oh, don't do that. Of course, you'd have to come back to me eventually. I'd keep your bed warm like the dutiful slave I am."  
  
Wufei rolled over on top of him and chuckled. "There are times that I think you're insane."  
  
"It's a family trait. You should meet my sister." Wufei placed a finger over his lips and shushed him, then leaned forward and melded their lips together. He took control of it, plunging into Treize's mouth, his hand reaching to take the lube from Treize's. He continued to kiss him as he worked the lid off and spread the water- based lube on his fingers. He reached between their bodies and wrapped his fingers around Treize's length.  
  
The older man bucked into his touch. Wufei smiled into his lover's lips and continued to stroke the other man, moving his hand in a slow, gentle glide over Treize's erection. "Mine?"  
  
"Yours." Treize breathed into his mouth. His hands were clutching Wufei's hips, holding him above him. "Wufei," he broke off on a groan, whatever he was going to say lost in a groan of pleasure as Wufei's other hand reached down to press against his opening.  
  
"Say it again," Wufei demanded, slipping the finger inside completely. Treize moaned his name. Wufei smiled and added his second finger. Treize's hands moved from his hips to his face and drew his mouth back down to his. Treize's legs spread wider and he wrapped them around the back of Wufei's thighs, forcing their erections to press together.  
  
"Now." He growled the word between clenched teeth, his chest heaving as he breathed heavily. Wufei was only too happy to oblige, not minding in the least that his 'slave' was giving orders. He quickly coated his penis with the lube, forcibly controlling himself so he didn't succumb to the pleasure of his own hand, and then aligned himself with Treize's opening.  
  
"Mine," he asserted one last time as he pressed inside. He felt Treize tense at the intrusion of his body, but pushed the other's discomfort to the back of his mind as he buried himself to the hilt. His breath left him in a rush and he nearly passed out then from the pleasure.   
  
"Move, Chang," it was half-command, half-plea as Treize shifted his legs to allow Wufei to draw back. He withdrew partway and then plunged in again, making them both moan. He started with a slow rhythm, his hips moving back and forth with concentrated effort as he fought for his control. He managed to maintain dominance until Treize reached behind him and inserted a finger into Wufei's anus. His control snapped, and he rode the other man hard, pressing him into the mattress and making the bedsprings squeak in discordance as the tempo increased. It was neither gentle nor rough, but the simple bonding of two bodies. Wufei pressed forward one last time and then climaxed, his seed shooting into Treize. He squeezed the other man's erection and stroked it hard, bringing him to climax as well.  
  
They collapsed together, their bodies weary from their fight and their lovemaking. Wufei grunted sleepily as Treize's arms moved to wrap around his torso. "Mine," the other man said quietly.  
  
Wufei sighed and yawned. "Wrong."  
  
"Want to bet?" Treize asked.  
  
"Yes. I refuse to be `owned' by a man that smells like a woman."  
  
There was a long silence. "I do -not- smell like a woman." He was affronted by the accusation.  
  
"You take a bath in rose water and wash with rose scented shampoo. You smell like a woman." Wufei argued. His arms slid up to curve around Treize's shoulder in a half-embrace. "Quiet, slave."  
  
"Wufei?" Treize said his name quietly.   
  
"What, Treize?"  
  
"You will be mine." His voice carried a promise. Wufei snorted, yawned, and sighed.   
  
"If I agree, can I go to sleep?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Yours," he said simply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Rae would -love- a picture of this and is willing to beg, plead, and bribe to get it if anyone is interested.  
> [2] Everclear is one of the strongest liquors you can buy. It's like 180 proof, which means that it's mostly alcohol. Sniff rubbing alcohol and you'd be close.
> 
> The fight scene was written from an ignorant point of view. I know nothing of swordplay, except that it's dangerous and the swords are generally sharp, and I wrote it assuming that everyone else knew as little as I did.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Rae  
> \--  
> After an emotional roller coaster of a weekend, things seem to be finally coming to a head. *laughs* (That's the second bad pun before this chapter even starts. Be afraid, be very afraid.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).  
> \-----------  
> Additional notes/warnings: 1) I found the most deranged Japanese phrases. Don't be surprised if I throw them in here for fun.  
> 2) This fic was written for my fun and amusement, and it will stay that way, or my name isn't Rang Jane! (Which it isn't, but that is beside the point).  
> 3) Suzume, after reading the last chapter and the explanation about the pills, wrote to me: "What, he couldn't get it up for Relena? *snicker*". I just thought you'd all like that.  
> 4) Minor squick factor coming up. Nothing too bad, but after having Duo throw up on Heero 3 times and reading a 3x4 that talked about the trust imparted when you don't -need- privacy from your lover (which was very nicely done, by the way, though I don't think I reviewed, sorry), I figured that it was time for a little pay back. No details, but there's no warning, so you'll either notice when it begins or you'll walk into it blindly, and I'll just apologize now. But the event is important (kind of), so it stays.  
> 5) This part has lime, but no lemon. That's right: NO hot and juicy sex. Instead, we have angst, a confession, and more information than you all wan

Tuesday morning wasn't any better than Monday, but at least this time he felt more forewarned for the day ahead. He'd have to deal with Heero on a professional level, and possibly on a personal one, without letting anyone catch on to what was happening around him. Assuming, of course, that the day went according to plan.  
  
He slowed his steps and looked for a way around, but Une was standing in front of his door. Her eyes were dark, her face stiff. He took a deep breath, his mind drawing blanks in its search for a reason to have a visit from his esteemed office manager.  
  
"Have you seen my brother?" She asked point blank. He opened his mouth to reply, but shut it again when he realized that he wasn't in trouble. He turned his head slightly and watched her out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"No. Why?" he asked cautiously.  
  
She sighed, her whole demeanor softening. "Treize was supposed to meet me for breakfast this morning and he never arrived." She sounded genuinely worried. "He's always punctual, so I stopped by his apartment, assuming that he wasn't feeling well, but he wasn't there."  
  
Duo shrugged. "I'm sorry, but I haven't seen him since the day before yesterday, I think. He looked okay, then. Maybe he was dealing with one of the other tenants."  
  
"Possibly," she agreed. Then her face tightened back into its usual scowl. "Is your report finished for Mr. Yuy?"  
  
Before he could answer and tell her that, honestly, he'd never had a chance to work on it, Noin came striding towards them, calling Une's name. "Mr. Yuy isn't in his office. According to his secretary, he hasn't made an appearance at all this morning."  
  
"I'll call his house in a moment," Une said calmly. Noin shook her head.  
  
"He's not there, his secretary tried. That's not the whole problem, though. There are five executives who have been sent by Winner Corp to check on the progress of our new president and they're insisting that they speak to him today."  
  
Duo looked over her shoulder to see five old men approaching, looking like the most rag-tag group of ornery execs he'd ever seen. Une and Noin straightened to greet them and Duo eyed the door to his office longingly.  
  
"You must be Mrs. Une," one said, his hair a dark mushroom cloud over his head. He held out his hand to Une, and they shook.  
  
"Please, just Une," she said softly. Duo did a double-take at her sudden change in attitude. She smiled coyly and he nearly fainted from shock. "I apologize for our missing president, gentlemen. Mr. Yuy is not in right now, and we're out of contact with him. We do expect to see him after noon, though. I do hope I wouldn't be infringing on you too much to ask you to wait?"  
  
"Yes, you would," another said. He was hunched over and leaning on a cane. His spectacles seemed to be a part of his face and his right hand looked grossly prosthetic. "We have better things to do than sit around waiting for some rookie to scramble at the last minute to get everything in order. This is just more proof that Heero Yuy is unprepared for the task set before him."  
  
Duo narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Une opened her mouth to try to smooth things over, but Duo could tell that it was too late for her style of diplomacy.   
  
"Cool down, old man," he said with a grin, moving forward so that he was in front of Une and Noin. "Heero's not here, but there's a good reason for that." He was sure of that, even if he didn't know what the reason was. "I'm on my way right now to find him. Since you earn the same amount of money whether you wait here or go back to your stuffy offices, you may as well have a seat in the main conference room."  
  
Without giving them a chance to respond, he turned to Noin and Une. "Call down to Mindy's on the corner and order in a catered lunch. Get these gentlemen whatever they want."  
  
Noin nodded and Duo pulled Une away. "Get in my Roledex and look up Quatre Winner. Explain the situation and tell him that he owes me for the pumpkin pie. I'm going to search around and see if I can find Yuy-sama. That man is going to hear it when I get ahold of him."  
  
"Just find him and get him back here, Maxwell, and I'll love you forever," she said very seriously. He grinned and let her go.  
  
"Why, Une! I never knew you had it in you," he teased as he walked away. His mind turned instantly to finding Heero.  
  
The woman blinked as she realized exactly what she had promised. She sighed, almost hoping that he -didn't- find Heero.  
  
+  
  
His first stop was the Pub in a Tub to see if maybe Tayles could talk to Dorothy. The sight that greeted him was not a happy one. Tayles was stomping around the pub, rag in hand, growling and snapping at any customer who spoke above a loud whisper.  
  
"Tayles?" Blood-shot eyes zoned in on him and he barely restrained from taking a step back. The ginger-haired woman stepped toward him and pointed a finger accusingly.  
  
"This is all -your- fault," she hissed. "If it hadn't been for you, that demonic woman wouldn't have found me."  
  
"Um... are you talking about Dorothy?" he asked as she drew closer.  
  
"No." She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm talking about that woman! Do you have -any- idea what that -psychopath- did to me last night?"  
  
"Um... something you didn't enjoy?" he guessed hedging. She chucked the rag at his head and turned on her heel to stomp back to the bar. He followed slowly, watching her warily. Someplace behind him, the rag lay forgotten on the floor. "What did she do, Tayles?"  
  
She turned to look at him, this time looking a little calmer. "What did she do? The woman got me knackered by two in the morning, let me sleep, woke me back up at six to drink -more- champagne and then she -kindly- drove me to work. I'm still wearing the clothes I was wearing yesterday, for goodness' sake! I feel dirty and gritty, and my head is pounding and my stomach is revolting, and if the world doesn't stop spinning soon, I'm going to vomit into every drink I serve!"  
  
"And that would just be disgusting," Dorothy said softly as she came into view at Duo's side. He glared at her, but she ignored him and turned her attention to Tayles. "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't realize that you had to work. I thought you said that you lived upstairs."  
  
"I -do- live upstairs you chattering twit! And I -always- work the morning and evening shift through the week. If you'd bothered to ask, you'd -know- that I have to work this morning."  
  
"Oh, darling. I -am- sorry," Dorothy purred, sounding anything but apologetic. Tayles looked at her for a moment; Duo waited expectantly for her to whip a gun out of her apron and shoot Dorothy. To his surprise, her face softened and she leaned on the counter, closer to Dorothy.  
  
"I suppose that it isn't your fault. I could have refused the drinks or told you that I had to work today. But I honestly didn't think about it." She shifted and smiled. "Of course... YOU STILL COULD HAVE ASKED!" She whipped the spray nozzle that she used for tap water out of its holder and turned it full force on Dorothy.   
  
Duo gaped as the woman gasped and stepped back, her eyes flying to Tayles in surprise. "You... you... " she spluttered.  
  
Tayles shut off the water and grinned proudly. "-I- just sprayed you and your five-hundred dollar suit with rusty tap water. What do you think of that?"  
  
The blonde breathed deeply, her eyes narrowed slits. "I -think- , "she started slowly, "that I underestimated you. You've surprised me." She smiled. "I like that. Ten tonight and I promise to have you back before dawn this time."  
  
Duo waited for Tayles to shoot her down, but the bartender nodded. "Fine, but this time, no alcohol."  
  
"Deal," Dorothy agreed. She turned and sauntered out, still managing to look haughty and proud despite the fact that she was dripping water.  
  
"Um, Tayles?" Duo said her name hesitatingly. "What the hell just happened?"  
  
"Well, I can't be too sure, but I think I have myself -another- date with the Wicked Witch of the West."  
  
"And for some reason, you don't sound upset about that at all," he said wonderingly. She grinned back, looking more like her old self and less ready to kill someone. "Did I miss something?"  
  
"Not really, guv. I just don't think she's as tyrannical as she'd like everyone to believe. Underneath that savvy-bitch façade lies a... well, a savvy-bitch, among other things."  
  
Duo laughed and then remembered his purpose. "I should have asked her while she was here. I'm looking for Heero. He didn't show up for work today. He has some kind of big meeting but isn't around to attend."  
  
"Did you try his house?" she asked, looking worried.  
  
He shrugged, frowning. "His secretary did and said that she didn't get an answer."  
  
"I think you should go over there, Duo. Maybe he's sick or injured, and can't get to the phone." His eyes widened at the thought and she held up a hand before he could worry too much. "Look, he's probably okay. Just go to his house and see if he isn't there. If you can sneak inside, you might be able to find a calendar or something."  
  
"You're right. I can't just sit around here and hope that he shows up." He turned to leave, but stopped and faced her quickly. "I hope that your date goes okay, but I would suggest staying away from large bodies of water while you're with her."  
  
"I had planned on that, but thanks for the warning." She smiled and watched him start to leave. "Duo!" She called as she remembered something. "You're friend was in earlier."  
  
He stopped and turned. "Which one?"  
  
"The dark-haired one that specializes in being miserable and cranky. I think he's the one you call Wuffie."  
  
He smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Did he say anything?"  
  
"No, but he was smiling. First time I've seen him in a good mood."  
  
"Wufei was smiling?" he asked, his brows drawing together as he drew a mental image. "Huh." He paused on the threshold and looked back at her. "He was smiling?"  
  
"Yeah," she answered. He shook his head. First Treize disappeared and then Fei was smiling. It was an odd day.

+  
  
He rang the doorbell to Heero's condo at ten to nine. A minute later, he knocked. When that failed to elicit a response, he very thoughtfully put his finger on the button of the doorbell and held it there. The door suddenly flew open and his heart plummeted. Relena glared at him for a moment before she recognized him, and then the glare faded into uncertainty. Her hair was disheveled, her white blouse wrinkled and untucked from her pink skirt. His violet gaze studied her face and took in the flush and the smeared lipstick. He took a step back. "I've come at a bad time, obviously."  
  
"No!" she practically screamed as she reached out and yanked him through the door. "You've come at the perfect time. He's being stubborn and won't listen to me. He won't eat and he won't drink the tea I made and he keeps snarling at me." She sounded affronted and frustrated, and Duo took a moment to look at her closer. Her lips were pressed tight together and there was a tension throughout her whole frame. She looked like the survivor of the third World War.  
  
"Um... what's going on?" he asked hesitatingly.   
  
She sighed. "I came by earlier this morning because Dorothy told me that he had stopped taking those infernal pills that he was taking." She ran a hand through her hair and looked at him. "It's right in the warning that your body can become hooked on some of the ingredients even after just a week of use. Heero's been using them for almost two weeks and I was afraid that if he didn't wean himself from them slowly, he'd react... well, he'd react like he is."  
  
Duo was going to ask her what she meant, but the question remained unasked as Heero stumbled from the direction of his bedroom. He was wearing black silk pajama bottoms and he looked pale. Prussian eyes met Duo's and Heero tried to smile, but it wobbled and became a scowl instead as he lurched in the direction of the bathroom. Relena moved to help him, but Duo beat her to his side and moved his shoulder under Heero's armpit to hold him upright.  
  
They moved to the bathroom together and Relena watched them go. Duo was talking quietly, alternately chastising Heero about not reading the warnings on the pills and gently telling him what to do. Heero did as he was instructed by Duo without ever once arguing.  
  
By the time Duo got Heero back into bed, Relena had left unobtrusively. Neither man noticed. Duo called the office and gave Une an abbreviated version of the situation and She told him that Quatre had arrived and seemed to be working magic in the conference room.   
  
When he hung up the phone that sat on Heero's nightstand, the brunette was asleep, curled around a large pillow. Duo smiled and brushed Heero's bangs out of his face so that he could watch his expression as he slept.   
  
Duo leaned down and gently pressed his lips against Heero's temple. Then he straightened and looked around for something to do until Heero woke up, or until noon when Une would probably call back. He had no intention of waking Heero and he would tell her as much then, but for the moment, he had time on his hands.  
  
He found a note from Relena on the coffee table in the main room. _//Duo, take care of him. He sleeps for about ten or fifteen minutes and then wakes up with either cold chills or hot flashes. No vomiting, but he is excessively weak (as I'm sure you noticed) and his body keeps sending false signals that he `has to go'. Good luck and take care. Signed, Relena. P.S. Sorry I didn't call you.//_  
  
Violet eyes rolled and he threw the note away. Heero seemed peaceably asleep and he'd leave him that way. He was about ready to go into the kitchen area to find something to eat when he heard a grunt from the bedroom. He entered the room to find Heero weaving at the end of the bed in an obvious attempt to get to the bathroom. He slipped his arm around Heero's waist and smiled at him. "Bathroom?" The other man grunted and Duo took it as an agreement and led him to the toilet. A few minutes later, they trekked back the way they had come. Heero settled onto the bed and snagged Duo's sleeve when he would have moved away.  
  
"Stay," Heero commanded, his voice dry. He coughed and prepared to try it again, but Duo settled next to him, eliminating the need.  
  
"I'll stay." Duo smiled and leaned closer. He put one hand on Heero's chest and pushed him back onto the bed, moving so that Heero could put his legs on the bed. Whey they were both laying down, he molded his body to Heero's, one leg lying over one of Heero's, his arm around Heero's waist. "Sweet dreams, babe."  
  
He felt Heero place a kiss on the top of his head and smiled as he snuggled closer and closed his eyes. It never failed; just when he thought that he had everything under control, or that he could at least handle the events that were coming, something happened and he realized how silly he was to presume that an event would occur just because he was prepared for it.  
  
He chuckled quietly as he slipped into a dreamless slumber, his head resting on Heero's chest, his eardrum humming with his lover's heartbeat.  
  
+  
  
He woke to a warm tongue laving at his throat, warm fingers entangled in his hair to keep his head tilted back. Duo smiled at the sensation of being licked and kissed, and decided that he quite liked to be woken up that way.   
  
"Mmm, Heero. What time is it?" he asked as he stretched, increasing the pressure that his lover's lips caused on his throat. Heero's mouth opened over his skin and he sucked on the area. Duo would have a mark later, but it was worth it for the sensation of waking up to Heero in such a way.  
  
"Time for lunch," Heero replied, pulling his lips away from Duo's neck long enough to talk before resuming his ministrations. Duo smiled as he realized that he seemed to be on the menu. That's when he realized that his hair was unbound. He frowned and twisted his head, without dislodging Heero's mouth, to see his hair spread out on the bed. It was the first time that his hair wasn't in its braid around Heero.  
  
He smiled and brought his hands up to cup Heero's head, pulling his face up to his own. He kissed him, a short kiss on the lips. He pulled back and smiled, resting back against the pillows. "Like my hair?"  
  
"It's fascinating. The first day I met you, you had your braid hidden in your jacket, but yesterday you left it out. When I woke up, I found it wrapped around my arm." A small smile played about his lips, but his eyes were serious as he changed the subject. "Why did you come?"  
  
"Une told me to find you," Duo answered simply. Heero's eyes grew shuttered and Duo realized his mistake. Before the other man could draw away, he clasped his shoulders. "I wanted to. I was worried when you didn't show up, and I would have come even if she'd told me not to. I -wanted- to find you."  
  
"You did?" There was a hint of vulnerability in his voice and an uncertainty in his eyes.   
  
"Hai," Duo answered, grinning cheekily. Heero chuckled softly and kissed him gently, his tongue running along Duo's lips. He withdrew before Duo had a chance to respond.  
  
"Suki da," Heero said quietly, watching Duo's expression carefully. Violet eyes widened as the grin spread. It wasn't a confession of true love, but it was close. He could have chosen to say that he wanted him instead of liking him, Duo knew. It was something more than what he had expected.  
  
"Suki da, koibito," Duo returned. He shifted his legs, hooking one over Heero's to pull his lower body closer. "Now, how about that lunch?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.  
  
They kissed, their arms moving to wrap around each other, drawing the other closer. Their mouths worked together, opening to allow the penetration of tongues. Their groins pressed together and they rubbed, the friction causing them to moan into each other's mouths. Duo slipped his thigh between both of Heero's and rubbed against the silk-clad erection.  
  
Heero froze suddenly. "Duo?"   
  
"Hm?" Duo's brain was still lust-fogged, or he would have heard the strained note in his lover's voice.  
  
"I have to go to the bathroom," he whispered hoarsely.  
  
Duo frowned, his lips turning down against the skin of Heero's neck where he had been kissing. "You're kidding me, right?"  
  
"No. I need to go and I need to go -now-" He was forceful. Duo cursed and pushed Heero back, almost spilling him on the floor. If he hadn't caught him in time, he would have fallen on the carpet. Duo got to his feet and heaved Heero after him. He helped Heero chuck his clothing and sit down. Just in time.  
  
Duo leaned against the wall of the bathroom and rested his head against the tiles, eyes closed. He could feel tears prickling at the corners of his eyes, but he hadn't cried in ten years and he wasn't about to start then. He waited until Heero said he was done and then helped clean him up. He was helping Heero back into his clothes, kneeling in front of him, when he could trust himself to speak again.  
  
"I don't fucking understand it. I just don't get it! What is there about you that makes me incapable of walking away? It's not liking and it sure as hell isn't lust, since I doubt anyone could be turned on by watching someone else's bowel movement, and yet... here I am. Still hanging around and not knowing why." He laughed mirthlessly.  
  
Sitting on the toilet seat cover as Duo spoke, Heero watched him with dark eyes, his expression closed off. Duo wasn't deterred; he knew that the other man was listening to every word he said. He continued speaking with a restrained anger, his voice as tight and controlled as his emotions.  
  
"Cancel that. I -do- know why. At least, I know why I'm here. I still don't know why it had to be you, though." He reached up and brushed aside Heero's bangs, his fingers lingering at his temple before dropping down to rest on his knees. "You're gorgeous, but you're not the first cutie to catch my interest. I don't know you at all, so it shouldn't be possible that I can care for you."  
  
He leaned back and adjusted his body so that he was sitting cross- legged in front of Heero, his head resting against the other's knees, his hair fanned around his body like a cloak. He closed his eyes; the only things in his line of view were Heero's legs and the base of the toilet.  
  
"But here we are. It doesn't make sense, even to me. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't be with you, because there isn't anything about you that... " He trailed off and then looked up with dark eyes. "What the hell makes you so special? Anyone else and falling asleep with my dick in your hand would have been the last straw. Hell, falling asleep on me the first time would have had you out of my life so fast your head would spin. Who the fuck are you that I keep coming back?"  
  
"Duo-" Heero stopped, not knowing how to answer.  
  
"I just want to know why it had to be you, Heero. Why you make me so happy and sad and hot and lonely at the same time. I want to be with you, even when I know that I'm better off without all the shit that you seem to bring into my life. No one else would have gotten away with falling asleep on me, no one else would have been able to talk down to me without a serious tongue-lashing, and yet you do that and so much more, and all I can think about is that if you had to fall asleep, at least I get to be the one to hold you while you snore." He pressed his head to Heero's knees again. Heero gently touched his hair, afraid that Duo would slap his hand away; he didn't, so Heero left it there.  
  
"I just want to be with you. It's like a disease or a sickness; it just won't go away. I knew that first night that I wouldn't be able to stay away. Quatre told me once that a person could know in an instant if someone was meant for them. You can tell in a kiss, or a word, or a touch. I knew the moment you spoke. I didn't even have to turn to look at you. `A woman in pink' and I fell in love. It's really not fair. I had my life figured out, thank you very much, and you weren't scheduled in."  
  
Heero stroked his hair, his fingers making a soothing pattern on Duo's head. Duo sighed softly and snuggled closer, moving his arms to wrap them around Heero's calves.  
  
"I was going to find a guy that hung off my every word, a god that would kneel before -me- and pamper me for the rest of my life. Someone worthy who could bring me to climax with a look and touch my soul with a kiss. Definitely not someone who keeps falling asleep, or who has to go to the bathroom after making out. I didn't want someone who would make me feel so uncertain about everything, the way you make me paranoid."  
  
He relaxed completely against Heero's legs, the fight going out of him as he sighed tiredly.  
  
"If I didn't love you so much, I would be -so- out of here." He yawned. "As it is, I just want you to know that I'm not very happy with the way things are going. It would be so much easier if you'd just decide that you didn't want me and kick me out of your life. Then I wouldn't have to worry about it; there'd be nothing that I could do. Take the choice away from me, ya know?"  
  
The last sentence was spoken very softly and Heero had to lean down to catch all of the words. When Duo didn't speak for several more minutes, he leaned over to look at his face and realized that, for once, Duo had fallen asleep on him. It seemed that they'd come full circle. The only question that remained was where they went from there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah! Poor Duo! I can be so mean sometimes, like writing this stuff. As if they didn't have enough angst in their original lives (the show/manga) I go and add to it by making them suffer in other universes also. So mean *shrugs, not really caring*. What started out as a one-shot has turned into an 7+ part lemonade festival. Ah, well. You can't predict everything.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Rae  
> \--  
> Aw... poor Duo and Heero. This takes place later in the day. I don't know how they got back to bed with Duo asleep and Heero in a weakened condition (I turned my back for two seconds, two SECONDS, and they were back in bed, so it's beyond me).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Duo woke up first, which wasn't surprising, considering how weak Heero had seemed the day before. What did faze him a little was to find himself back in bed. He couldn't imagine Heero managing it, but he didn't remember getting there under his own steam, so either he had sleepwalked, or Heero had mustered the strength from somewhere. He stretched lazily, conscious of the man lying nearby. He shifted, turning on the bed so that he lay on his side, his head supported by his hand, his elbow against the mattress. Heero was sprawled across the rest of the bed, taking up most of the remaining space on the king-size mattress. His head was turned from Duo, one hand entangled in the sheets just inches from touching the braided man.  
  
Violet eyes scanned the unruly hair, the ear and line of jaw that he could see, then trailed down the neck, over the shoulders, down the naked torso, resting briefly where a two fingers were tucked into the top of the pajama pants, before finishing his visual exploration down the long legs, to where the feet were turned with the toes pointing towards each other.  
  
A soft smile graced his lips as he gently touched the hand close-by, his fingers gently tracing a pattern on the palm. He followed the lines of the palm and studied them, trying to draw from a distant memory which line was the `love' line. He gave him and simply rested his hand in Heero's, hooking his thumb around Heero's in a gentle grip.  
  
The other man mumbled something and kicked out with one leg. He didn't seem to be trying to hit Duo, which was good since he missed. His other leg shifted to follow, and then he was lying on his side, facing Duo. His brows were furrowed and he seemed to be in the middle of an unpleasant dream.  
  
With a soft chuckle, Duo let go of Heero's hand and touched the other man's face, gently smoothing his eyebrows before tracing a finger over his bottom lip. Heero's mouth opened slightly, moist heat wrapping around the tip of Duo's finger as he breathed heavily. His body seemed to relax, and he slipped deeper into slumber even as Duo's body woke up more fully, bringing with it the beginning of arousal and the first stirrings of hunger.  
  
He slipped quietly out of bed, leaving Heero to sleep peacefully while he searched the kitchen for `edible' food. He found several containers of tofu, rice, bran, and soy, but nothing that he would even consider putting in his mouth. He found soy and rice milk in the refrigerator, along with a large stock of fresh fruits and vegetables.  
  
"No meat, no cheese, no _real_ milk, no pop, no corn flakes, no canned soup, no instant noodles or frozen dinners. What in the world does this man live on?" He shut the last cupboard with a disgusted sigh. Any other man, and the contents of that kitchen would have been enough to send him running.  
  
Then again, any other man, and he wouldn't have still _been_ in the kitchen.  
  
A quick call to the nearest take-out place solved the dilemma of food and a call to Quatre guaranteed that the situation at work was handled. In the time that he knew it would take for the food to arrive, he took a quick shower, re-braided his hair, and borrowed a pair of black pajama bottoms, choosing to go commando instead of borrowing underwear or wearing his own again without washing them. He found a small washer-cum-dryer in a small, closet-size room and had just shut the lid on his clothes when the door rang. Assuming that his food had arrived, he answered the door without checking the peephole, and then wished that he hadn't been so hasty.  
  
"Well, well. I must say, Heero has chosen well," Dorothy's eyes swept him languidly, one forked brow quirking admiration.  
  
"Too bad you're not my type," Duo said shortly. He was tempted to shut the door in her face, but the deliveryman was coming up the walk, and he would have had to sacrifice his food. He shoved money into the poor man's hands and then pushed him back towards the stairs. His intention was to shut the door before Dorothy had a chance to make any announcements that could ruin his good mood, but she entered the apartment while he was busy.  
  
He shut the door with a snarl, turning to glare at his... Heero's unwelcome guest. He placed the food on the coffee table and promptly forgot about it as she studied the apartment. "Hm. Still clean and somewhat stylish; I guess you haven't been here long?" She turned to him with a frosty smile.  
  
"Listen here, wench," he borrowed the term from Tayles, "I don't like you, and you obviously don't like me-"  
  
She cut him off. "But I do, Duo. I happen to be very fond of you. I believe that you could be a good influence on Heero. Goodness knows that he needs someone in his life to make it more interesting."  
  
He opened his mouth and then shut it stupidly, not knowing what to say. She didn't go on, giving him time to shake his head and resettle his thoughts before he tried speaking again. "I'm a little confused. You _don't_ hate me?"  
  
"No, I don't," she answered calmly, sitting down in a chair and reclining comfortably. He took the seat opposite her, on the couch, and tried to come up with something else to say. "I have known Heero for three years, and in all that time, the only thing I have ever seen him do is work, evade Relena's attempts at seduction, and sleep with her brother."  
  
Duo scratched his head, shook it, and then looked at her helplessly. She sighed and smiled slightly, her face softening.  
  
"Relena has been after Heero since the first time she saw him. About two years ago, she was slightly put off because she found out that he had slept with her brother. As far as I can tell, it was a short affair, a small fling compared to the on-again, off-again relationship that Milliardo had with Treize."  
  
"He slept with her _brother_?" She nodded. He hissed a breath through his teeth. "Ouch. But that didn't make her leave him alone permanently?"  
  
"It didn't turn into anything, as I'm sure you've noticed. She simply decided that he was using her brother as substitution and used that as an excuse to up her level of attack. She's spent the last couple of years trying to convince him that one incident didn't make him gay, and that he still belonged with her."  
  
"Um, she failed?" He chuckled slightly. "She was here earlier, but she didn't seem to _want_ to be here."  
  
"She's over her crush, I think. It would be hard to maintain her obsession after seeing the way you two look at each other." She glanced at him pointedly, seeing the confusion and flash of hope on his face. "It's obvious, even if not to you, that he cares. You'd have to understand more about Heero and his short thing with Mil."  
  
He nodded, seeing the wisdom behind her words. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to fill in the details?" he asked. She shook her head. "Thought not." A second passed before a thought struck him and he raised an eyebrow, looking at her skeptically. "What are you doing here?"  
  
She grimaced, looking pained. "I came to warn Heero, but I guess I'll just warn you and run. Milliardo is having a fight with his boyfriend of the moment, and I think he might head this way for consolation sex. He has a nasty habit of sleeping with ex-boyfriends when he`s on the rebound. Treize is otherwise occupied with your cute friend and he probably figures that Heero is still single."  
  
He rolled his eyes and collapsed against the couch, not quite catching all of her words. "This day just gets better and better, doesn't it?" He watched as she stood up and smoothed the wrinkles out of her skirt. "You're not even going to stay to help out if he does show up?"  
  
"Let's just say that I have a gut feeling that something really bad is going to happen and I'd rather not be around to see what it is, okay? Anyway, I have a date in," she looked at her watch, "three hours. I don't think your bartender would appreciate my tardiness."  
  
"Thanks for not helping much," he said derisively. She just laughed at him and left. He closed his eyes and glanced at his watch, realizing for the first time that the day was gone. It was almost seven in the evening; he had been asleep for a long time.  
  
He gathered up the take-out and went into the kitchen. There were no paper plates or throwaway, plastic silverware, so he settled on a chipped glass plate and a metal fork. He had just settled at the table to eat when another knock sounded on the door. He sighed and stared longingly at his food, then stood up with determination.  
  
The door flew open under his hand and he glared at the interloper. Blue eyes stared back at him, surrounded by a glossy fall of platinum hair and a handsome face. "You're not Heero," the other man stated, tilting his head to the side in a considering fashion. Obviously, he hadn't expected another man to answer the door. "Who are you?"  
  
Duo sighed in an aggravated fashion and blew a breath upwards, through his teeth, making his bangs move. "I'm the idiot who couldn't stay away. You?"  
  
One blonde eyebrow rose. "I'm the boyfriend."  
  
"Huh," Duo replied. He settled against the doorjamb, effectively blocking the other man's way inside. "Funny. According to Dorothy, you're the ex-boyfriend. Somehow, I find her assessment to be more truthful, since I've spent most of the last four days having sex with your supposed `boyfriend`," he said bluntly.  
  
Milliard's brows dropped into a frown. "You've what?" His voice was chilling, his eyes narrowing until they were slits. Duo would have been intimidated, but he wasn't going to let anything get to him until he had a chance to talk to Heero.  
  
He blinked and suddenly the blonde was grinning in a friendly way, extending one hand for Duo to shake. Duo stared at it as the other man spoke.  
  
"I'm Milliardo Peacecraft, Relena's brother. If you know him, you probably know her," he said congenially. Duo nodded stupidly, for the second time that day feeling confused.  
  
"Duo Maxwell, and yeah, I've met her." He placed his hand into Milliard's, straightening from the doorway. The blonde man pulled him slightly closer and tilted his head, giving Duo a coy look.  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Duo, but as I'm sure you know, it would be really awkward to have Heero's ex and his current in the same apartment with him, so," he jerked Duo's arm and sent the braided man flying into the railing that kept him from falling to the pavement below. When Duo turned back around, the door to the apartment was shut and locked.  
  
He blinked, staring at the rather bare-looking door. Then he sighed and sat down, settling back against the railing as comfortably as he could get wearing nothing but silk pajama bottoms and a hair- tie. "This day keeps getting better and better," he said for the second time that day, wishing he hadn't gotten out of bed.  
  
+  
  
Duo didn't know what he expected to happen, but he was fairly certain that having the door opened and Milliardo flying towards him wasn't at the top of his list of possible scenes. He barely threw himself to the side before Milliardo impacted with the railing, stumbling over the spot where Duo had been just seconds before. He looked up to find Heero leaning weakly against the doorframe, breathing heavily and looking extremely pissed. His gaze shifted to Duo and his expression softened a little, but not much. "You, in." He pointed to Duo and then jerked his thumb to indicate his apartment. Then he pointed at Milliard. "You, stay out."  
  
Duo sat up straight, crossed his arms over his chest, and said, "no." Milliardo and Heero both turned to stare at him incredulously. "For all you know, I could be very comfortable, sitting in on the cold concrete in front of your apartment wearing nothing but a thin pair of pants. I might _like_ the idea of spending half the night out here half-naked. But you wouldn't know, would you?"  
  
Milliardo took a step back from him, even though he was still sitting on the ground, eyeing him curiously.  
  
"You could _ask_ me to come back inside. I _might_ like to come back inside, but if you order me around like I'm ten, I'm going to sit here and act like I'm a ten-year-old throwing a tantrum."  
  
Heero started at him, a confused frown on his face. Milliardo walked quickly between them, looking from one to the other before he leaned towards Heero and said with a conspiratory wink, "I think you two need to talk."  
  
Heero grunted in reply, his eyes still fixed on Duo, who was staring back with an equal intensity. "Is there something you forgot to complain about earlier?" asked Heero. Duo stared at him for a moment, surprised by the blunt coldness in his voice, before Dorothy's advice came back to him.  
  
"Yeah, I did," he said, standing up. He stepped closer and reached out, tapping Heero's chest with a finger. "I am not a sex-toy, and I'm not a child, therefore, my relationships should not be reduced to sex and being talked down to or ordered about. Understood?"  
  
There was a considering pause before Heero nodded and agreed.  
  
"Good. Now, I have food that's waiting for me in the kitchen that is probably cold by now, so you can find yourself something to eat while I warm it up, and we can sit down and hold our first _real_ discussion, okay?"

+  
  
It was more difficult than he would have thought. Heero moved into the kitchen, threw together what looked to Duo to be a tofu and soy sandwich, and sat down at the table. Duo joined him with the cold remains of his own food, and they ate. They finished eating, took care of their respective dishes, and returned to their seats, all without saying a word.  
  
Then the silence stretched. They stared at the table, their hands, the walls: everywhere but at each other. Finally, Duo had enough and he growled, dropping his head to the table. "This shouldn't be so difficult!"  
  
"Why?" asked Heero. There was no inflection in his voice. Duo peeked through his bangs without raising his head.  
  
"Why what?" he asked in return, his head moving awkwardly as he spoke with his chin firmly settled on the tabletop.  
  
"Why should this _not_ be difficult?" This time there was a note of interest in Heero's voice, and it gave Duo a small hope that he _was_ interested.  
  
"Because if this was really a relationship, or at least enough of one to make this kind of conversation worth it, then we should be able to find something to talk about. We know almost nothing about each other, so the easiest way to start would be to get acquainted, but for the life of me, I don't know what I want to ask first."  
  
Heero digested that for a moment, nodded, and crossed his arms on the table, leaning closer. "What kind of information would you like?"  
  
"Everything!" Duo snapped, sitting up and leaning back. He sighed in frustration. "I want... to know something about you that will make me _want_ to be in love with you because I can think of nothing."  
  
"So, at this moment, you do not find any thing of me worthy of your regard? Other than my body, that is?" Heero asked, his tone cold.   
  
Their eyes met and Duo bit his lip when he realized how his words had sounded.  
  
"I didn't mean it that way," he sighed and leaned his elbows on the table. I'm almost positive that I love you, but it's hard for me to believe, because I've always thought you had to know someone to love them, you know? And I don't know you."  
  
"That's a pity," Heero replied. He didn't say anything else and Duo felt an angry desperation well up inside of him as he realized that Heero didn't seem inclined to help him in this conversation.  
  
"What am I to you, Heero? Huh? A good screw?" His voice was more harsh than he intended, but Heero didn't even blink. "Am I just a short fling to you?"  
  
"A fling implies sex for the sake of sex. If I could not touch your body and the option was mine, you would still be here."  
  
"What about Relena?"   
  
"The Peacecrafts are the closest thing I have to family. I think of Relena as a... cousin, of sorts."  
  
"And her brother?"  
  
"Her brother was... " He broke off, frowning. He raised a hand and scratched under his nose, then resettled his arms on the table. "Her brother was insistent. He wanted me and I wanted to steer Relena clear of the feelings she _thought_ she had for me. In the end, he persuaded me that if I gave in to him, everything would work out. I would have something more than a surface relationship with the family."  
  
He looked down and away. "It was a mistake from the start. Milliardo needs someone who can pamper his ego and cuddle him. I can't do that." He looked up into Duo's f ace, his own expression pained. "I cannot be responsible for another's esteem. I could not... express to him the love I had for him as a brother, because he wanted the adoration of a lover. In the end, I was... cold, and he left me for his ex."  
  
Duo licked his lips. "If it's over between you, why did he show up here today and why did Dorothy make it sound like he did that often when he and his boyfriend break up?"  
  
"As I've already said, Mil needs constant reassurance. Occasionally, he'll find someone that can offer that to him, but after a while, they get tired of his games and they'll leave him. Then he runs to me, or his best friend Otto, or his other ex, who I think was in your bed with us the other day."  
  
"Treize?" Duo asked, remembering the incident.  
  
"Yes. Anyway. I'm normally last on his list of people to run to, but if he thinks that a bout of gratuitous sex will cure his problems for the moment, he runs to me."  
  
"So, you've only had one lover, but he sometimes comes back for more?" Duo was pretty sure that he didn't like the sound of that. It made it seem to possible that the events that had happened earlier could happen again, and he didn't relish standing outside Heero's apartment wearing pajamas.  
  
"He's only come back once. Normally, he runs to Otto; he's the only person I know of who can deal with Mil for extended periods of time, though as far as I know, they've never been lovers."  
  
"Interesting," Duo said, for the lack of anything better. He lowered his eyelids and stared at Heero through the lids, already exhausted from the odd cycle of people and relationships. "So, you're not planning on kicking me out anytime soon, right?"  
  
"I hadn't intended to, no."  
  
"Good." Duo smiled and slipped from his chair. He walked around the table and pushed Heero's shoulder, making the other man lean back in his chair. He straddled his hips and embraced him. "I'm already getting a headache from the list of who's sleeping with who, and who isn't sleeping with each other and why. The next thing you know, I'll find out that Wu finally gave in to Treize, or some other such nonsense."   
  
Heero returned the embrace, his right hand sliding down to cup Duo's rear and tilt him so that their erections rubbed together. Duo moaned.  
  
"I don`t need sex," he told Heero, his lips already trailing kisses along the other man's jaws.  
  
"So you say," Heero replied, using both hands to rock Duo's hips against his own, his head tilted to the side to allow Duo access to his neck.  
  
Duo stilled suddenly and pulled back, his eyes searing into Heero's. "It wasn't just a tired rambling, either, Heero. I told you yesterday, and I told you earlier, but this is the first time that I'm going to say it to your face, and I want you to know that I mean it. I love you. I'm in love with you. If you don't want me, and I'm talking long term, you better let me know soon, or you're never getting rid of me."  
  
He kissed the other man before he could answer, and then whispered against his lips, "now lets go do that thing we both know we don't have to do, but want to, `kay?" Heero's reply was to stand up, his arms wrapping around Duo to hold him protectively as he carried him through the apartment to the bedroom.  
  
"It seems you've regained your strength," Duo noted, shortly before being dropped on the bed. He bounced on the mattress, then lay back and grinned at Heero. "Now come here, you. You said that the only thing about you that I found worthy was your body, but I'm not certain I've touched it enough to judge that, or not."  
  
Heero crawled onto the bed and pressed his body on top of Duo's. The braided man tried to lean up for a kiss, but Heero evaded his searching lips. "Why do I not remember you being this talkative?"  
  
"Um, because you were too busy making love to me?" Duo grinned, running his hands down Heero's sides until his fingers hooked in the waistband of the other's pants and pushed them down. Heero lifted his lips and waited until Duo had the material to his knees before moving to help. Then he pulled Duo's clothing off and moved back to the bed.  
  
Duo took control, moving so that he was straddling Heero, his braid hanging over his shoulder so that the end occasionally trailed a path on Heero's torso. For every brush of the bushy end, Heero's fingers stroked gently under Duo's ribcage, returning tickle for tickle. Duo chuckled but continued his ministrations, lickinng and kissing and nipping a path down Heero's neck, collar, and upper chest.  
  
He stopped at a nipple and settled his lips over it, suckling it gently. One of Heero's hands moved to Duo's hip, and the other tangled itself into the end of the braid. When he had laved enough attention to the first nipple, he moved the second, smiling when Heero arched his back into the contact.  
  
Duo was happily moving finishing with Heero's other nipple when the hand in his hair tugged his head back up to Heero's for a kiss. He smiled against his lovers lips before leaning up.  
  
He pressed his hands into the mattress on either side of Heero's shoulders and grinned down. His hips rolled forward deliberately, his expression wicked as Heero groaned. The hand in his hair shifted to his hip and Heero bucked beneath him, grinding their bodies closer together. Duo released a moan of his own.  
  
"Oh, you're a wicked one, Heero Yuy," Duo muttered thickly, leaning down to lick Heero's lips. The other man assumed that he was going to kiss him and seemed surprised to find his lips puckered expectantly without a mouth against them.  
  
His head dropped to the pillow. "Yuy Heero."  
  
"Hai. Anata no hiza ni suwattemo yoroshii deshoka?" //Do you mind if I sit in your lap?//   
  
Heero seemed to freeze, his eyes widening. Duo sniggered above him, until the blue-eyed man rolled them over, pinning Duo beneath him. "You are an odd person, Duo Maxwell. I hate to repeat that I don't remember you speaking this much the last couple of times we've done this, because that would spur you into repeating that the last few times, I've been too busy making love to you. At which point, I would just like to say that I'm trying to be busy again, but your talking makes that difficult."  
  
Duo blinked and bit his lip, his eyes looking up with a small measure of uncertainty. "You don't like my Japanese, Heero?" Then a gleam invaded his eyes, and before Heero could react, he found himself flat on his back, Duo holding him down by his shoulders. "You are a _sexy_ little man, Yuy Heero."  
  
Before Heero could respond to that, Duo crushed their mouths together, his tongue attacking the other's as he spread his lips and sat on Heero's erection. The pressure made Heero elicit a keen cry of passion into Duo's waiting mouth.  
  
Lube appeared in Duo's hand, the tube somehow appearing out of thin air. Heero was in no position to question that little magic act; his attention was focused solely on the slender hand that coated his penis in the slick gel, his eyes closing and his head arching back as Duo stroked his lenght, spreading the oil evenly.  
  
Without preparing himself, Duo guided Heero's erection to his anus, one hand spreading the skin for better access. Heero's hips were on his hips, running up and down the insides of this thighs, occasionaly straying close enough to touch Duo's lenght, but never staying long enough to offer more than an enticing, teasing pleasure. Kneeling over Heero, Duo rode his lover, skewering his own body with the forceful rising and lowering of his body around Heero's shaft. He lost concentration for nearly ten seconds when Heero's hand wrapped around his own neglected cock and pumped it in time with his movements.  
  
Through slitted eyes, his head tilted back, Duo watched the play of emotions on Heero's face, the way the other man strained up into him, the look of strain as he tried to hold back his own climax until Duo was ready.  
  
With an out of practice, but altogether very skilled touch, Duo reached around his body to find Heero's entrance. His gaze resting on Heero's face to catch his reaction, he pushed his still lubricated finger inside, smiling when Heero gasped and opened his eyes, his startled orbs resting on Duo. For a moment, his whole body seemed to still before he relaxed and pushed into the touch. Release came quickly after that, both men worked from both sides, the doubled sensations causing their seed to spill, Heero's into Duo's body, and Duo's into Heero's waiting hands.  
  
Tired and weary, Duo simply fell back, his head hanging over the edge of the bed, his lower body sprawled across Heero's. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but he was too out of it to move. His eyes closed, a sated smile stealing over his features as he slowly relaxed into sleep.  
  
He was barely conscious when Heero shifted. The other man pulled him toward the middle of the bed so that he wasn't laying over the edge, and then stretched out beside Duo, his arm circling the braided man's waist as they slipped into slumber together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw! Mental picture: Heero crawling to the other end of the bed to lay with Duo...*sighs dreamily* That's so sweet. I don't know if I'm entirely happy with this, or not...


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Rae  
> \--  
> Heero and Duo spend a little down time -not- having sex, while the world returns to a normal only considered normal in fan fiction *grins*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).  
> \------------  
> Warnings: This kind of bounces from person to person. No lemon (please don't kill me) and no real action. This just kind of goes out to show the different developmental stages of the different relationships, and... Duo finally gets part of his earlier wish.

Wufei should have locked the door. To preserve his honor and what was left of his sanity, he should have slipped the bolt into place and shoved a chair under the knob so that seductive, older men could not enter his apartment uninvited. Failing that, he should have locked the door -after- Treize made his way inside.  
  
If he had just spared a moment for logic, he wouldn't be sitting across from the glowering, blonde ex-boyfriend of his new lover. Instead, he would have been in his bedroom asleep, or better yet, learning the nuances and sensitivities of Treize's body.  
  
Milliardo sniffled into a Kleenex as Treize rubbed his back sympathetically. When the blonde had shown up earlier that day, Treize had been quick to show him out the door, so that they could return to bed, but when he showed up a second time and broke into tears, tears that Wufei still thought were faked, Treize had ushered him -in- the door. In to -Wufei's- apartment, no less.  
  
Wufei still thought it odd that Milliardo had known where to find Treize when the older man wasn't in his apartment.  
  
He wanted to feel put out and angry, but he was mesmerized by the interplay between the two men. Milliardo was whispering through his tears and all Wufei heard was a bunch of mumbled, nonsensical words, but every few minutes, Treize would make a comment that seemed suitable to Milliardo, as if he were following the whole thing the same as a normal conversation.  
  
Despite his attentiveness to Mil, Treize was also careful not to ignore Wufei. While the blonde garbled unintelligibly, the ginger- haired man would look up and smile at Wufei, making it even harder to stay mad at him as he offered his ex comfort.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only an hour, the blonde's tears subsided. With a suddenness that seemed odd when compared to his earlier misery, he turned and glomped onto Treize. "I'm so sorry to impose on you guys, but I didn't know where else to turn!"  
  
Wufei rolled his eyes, but Treize returned the hug and continued to smooth Mil's back. "What happened to Otto?" he asked quietly. The blonde stiffened, but only for a second before he sniffled piteously.  
  
"We're fighting. He said that Walker was no good for me, but I wouldn't listen. He was right, though. Otto always is." He sounded disgruntled to Wufei, but the ginger-haired man seemed to be buying the whole thing.  
  
Wufei sighed and shifted in his chair, earning him a small smile from Treize. The dark-haired man raised an eyebrow and tried to look as stern as he could, but Milliardo squeezed Treize tighter, drawing the older man's attention back to himself.  
  
+  
  
Duo stretched languidly and smiled when his toes brushed against a hair-covered leg. Heero was snoring softly, lying on his back next to Duo with his arm around the braided man's shoulders. Duo was resting on his right side; his body curved around Heero's, his arm over Heero's chest.  
  
It was nice, waking up in the middle of the night to find Heero slumbering peacefully. It was definitely a feeling that Duo could become accustomed to very quickly. It would be more difficult to wake alone from that point on. If nothing came of it, if weeks from that day Heero decided it was over, there would be nothing more than the memories that Duo could gleam.  
  
The thought was depressing, but Duo had to consider all possibilities. While they seemed to be compatible at the moment, they had yet to actually do anything more than sleep together. The only conversation that they'd had at that point that Duo considered even remotely important had been cut short by Duo.  
  
Sitting at the table with Heero, watching the other man's eyes as he considered everything, Duo had been struck with a deep, gut- wrenching fear. He was afraid that if Heero had a chance to actually see it through, he would accept Duo's offer of an out; and if Heero accepted, Duo was very afraid that nothing would ever be enough again.  
  
He moved his leg so that it was over-top of Heero's and let his head rest on the other man's shoulder. He couldn't stop the sad little sigh that escaped his lips, nor was he prepared for Heero to ask, "What was that for?"  
  
"That was because I'm an optimistic pessimist," he said cryptically. "Don't worry about it, babe."  
  
"Hn," Heero grunted. His body was still lax, making Duo wonder how long he had been awake without him knowing it. "Elaborate."  
  
Duo resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the command while he complied, "I was just trying to figure out how long it would take before you're ready to wrap my braid around my neck." Again, he left much unsaid, but this time Heero didn't ask him to say more.  
  
They lapsed back into a silence that was neither comfortable nor uneasy. Heero's hand began to drift lazily up and down Duo's side, his nails grazing the skin lightly enough that Duo squirmed and giggled.  
  
"Stop tickling," he ordered, trying not to laugh. A nail scratched an inch above his hip and his hips bucked in response to the contact with that little area of sensitivity. "Are you ready for another round?"  
  
He waited for Heero to agree, or to take him up on the blatant invitation in his voice, but the other man pulled his arm away and got out of bed. Duo sat up, his eyes wide as he watched Heero rummage through his closet in the dark shadows of the poorly lit room. Duo couldn't see what he was looking for or the outfit he eventually decided on, but he knew that that probably wasn't a good sign. Having sex refused in order to get dressed could -not- be a good thing.  
  
"Heero?" His voice was quiet and contained, hiding much of his uncertainty. Heero's arm jerked behind his back and Duo blinked when he felt something land on the bed. He reached out and lifted the material, identifying it as a pair of pants shortly before another article of clothing landed in his lap.  
  
"Get dressed." If Duo thought that he was good at keeping his voice emotionless, he figured that Heero had to be a master.  
  
He got out of bed and pulled the pants on. Heero hadn't provided underwear, but it wasn't the first time he'd gone without. The shirt was a T-shirt that slipped over his head. They adorned the clothing without turning the light on, and then Duo was handed a pair of sandals that he put on his feet. They fit okay, but were a little loose on his feet. Heero's feet were bigger than his.  
  
"Where are we going?" he asked as he watched Heero's dim form bend in the shadows to put on another pair of shoes.  
  
"You'll see," Heero responded. He grabbed Duo's hand and pulled him from the bedroom, and then from the apartment. He walked briskly, as if he had to be someplace soon.  
  
Duo expected to be lead to the waiting car, but Heero led him past it. They kept to the sidewalk, and Duo was grateful that Heero lived in a better section of town than he; there was no space for shadows between the lampposts, something that made walking in his neighborhood dangerous.  
  
Two blocks and they turned to the right, then right again and then Heero turned left. Duo blinked in the sudden brightening of light, then snickered softly as he was led the rest of the way to a twenty- four hour supermarket.  
  
Heero released his hand in the lobby and retrieved a grocery cart from the rows lined up inside. He glanced at Duo, his eyes intense. "We talk. We shop, we talk, and we don't have sex." A young girl, having walked in behind them, seemed to stumble as he said that.  
  
Duo grinned, his eyes taking on an excited gleam. "Deal."  
  
+  
  
Tayles laughed excitedly as yet another pair of guys approached them. She had to say that as odd as Dorothy's idea of entertainment was, it was amusing. They were currently stationed in their fourth club of the night and seated side by side at the bar. They were both turned to the dance floor and resting back against the bar as they scanned the forms.   
  
Periodically, a man or two would notice them and come over to flirt. Dorothy would lead them on for several minutes, eventually leading Tayles into flirting with the men. When it became apparent that the men were certain enough of their victory that they invited the women to leave with them, Dorothy would reply coolly that the only person either would be leaving with would be each other.  
  
To Tayles initial surprise, but growing pleasure, she would follow that by leaning over and kissing her date. Thoroughly. Mind- numbingly thorough. By the third bar, Tayles was ready to take their fun and games back to her apartment above the Pub in a Tub, but her split-browed flirt wouldn't hear of leaving the party scene until the hour of closing.  
  
Which meant that they had an hour and a half more of her game before they got to the real fun. Tayles couldn't wait.  
  
+  
  
They started in the produce section. Heero moved slowly up and down the lines of fresh fruits and vegetables, Duo in tow. First stop: tomatoes. Heero squeezed, sniffed, and studied nearly the entire stock before settling on one small, 'perfect' specimen. That routine was repeated with the cantaloupe, apples, oranges, zucchinis, star fruit, parsnips, turnips, cucumbers (at which point Duo had to stifle a laugh at seeing Heero lift the oblong object to his face), and apricots.  
  
They ended up with one of each.  
  
Next, they walked up and down the aisles of canned and boxed foods, Heero's eyes quickly searching through and dismissing items. Duo spent the first conversation-less half hour observing his lover and filing away expressions and gestures that Heero made while they shopped.  
  
It wasn't until aisle five, the cereal aisle, that Heero stopped and turned to Duo. "Talk."  
  
"Huh?" Duo asked stupidly, before his brain caught up with him. He smiled sheepishly and stuffed his hands into the back pockets of the pants he was wearing. "I don't know what to talk about," he admitted.  
  
Heero shrugged as if he hadn't thought that far, either. "About anything, I guess. If we were living together and knew everything about each other, what would you talk about?"  
  
"I haven't a clue. I would say work, but that would be redundant, since-"  
  
"It wouldn't," Heero cut in. "We won't see each other every day and I won't know a lot about the individual projects you have. You're just another employee, as far as work is concerned."  
  
"Ow," Duo mumbled under his breath. He didn't really need a reminder as to his worth.  
  
Heero glanced at him, took his hand, and started walking again. "You may be a valuable employee, Duo, but I can not treat you any differently than I would any other person who worked under me. I - won't- treat you any differently at work."  
  
"Except when you ravish me in your office," the braided man pointed out with a smirk. Heero was holding his hand in public at one o- clock in the morning. He didn't know if it was the fact that he was tired that was making him feel giddy, or if it was the contact.  
  
"Except when I ravish you in my office," Heero agreed. He let go of the cart to pull a box of bran flakes from a shelf, his hold on Duo never slipping. Duo grinned, until it dawned on him that Heero was picking food for himself. It was like a slap in the face, another sign that what they had was only temporary. He took a deep breath, reminding himself that Heero had just agreed that he'd still be ravishing Duo in his office, which was a sure sign that he meant for things to continue.  
  
With a sudden decision, he took the box from Heero and sat it back on the shelf and replaced it with a box of his own favorite. "This is better. Not as good for you, but at least it has taste."  
  
"Bran flakes have 'taste'," Heero said. However, he placed Duo's cereal in the cart and left his choice where it was. They moved onto the next aisle: baking goods. Heero started to move past the boxes of cake and brownie mixes, but Duo stopped to drool over several of them and effectively stopped Heero's progress.  
  
"Brownies. Cream cheese brownie, double-fudge, frosted, walnuts, chocolate chips... " He licked his lips, and then looked at Heero with a grin. "I have a sweet tooth, sorry. We can go." He started to tug Heero back down the aisle, but the other man managed to stay planted in place as he picked up a box and read the instructions on the back.  
  
"This doesn't look too hard to make," he said, more to himself than to Duo. It joined the cereal in the cart. Duo's grin widened and he practically skipped as they left that aisle and continued shopping.  
  
+  
  
Wufei sighed happily when the door to his apartment shut. At some point in time, Treize had called some guy named 'Otto' to come and get Milliardo, though neither Mil or Wufei knew that he had made the call.  
  
When the other man had rang the bell, Wufei had been only slightly surprised to see the blonde rush past him into the other man's arms. Treize winked at him when he turned to see how he would take it.  
  
"I'm sorry," Treize said, sitting regally on the couch where he had been while Otto and Milliardo left. "I should have known that this morning wouldn't be the end of it. Heero is more than a little occupied with Maxwell. I should have had the foresight to realize that he would not be in the mood to cuddle an ex-lover."  
  
"Of course not," Wufei said coldly. He glared at his 'guest', trying to ignore the stirrings of anticipation that started in his stomach and spread to his groin.   
  
Blue eyes gleamed with humor as Treize's lips curved upwards. "You're beautiful when you're angry."  
  
"You're annoying when you're smug," returned Wufei, though his voice lacked much of the heat to make it convincing.  
  
"You're incredibly sexy when you glare."  
  
Wufei raised an eyebrow, and then smirked. "I'm even sexier when I'm satisfied."  
  
"Yes, you are," Treize agreed as the black-eyed man rose to his feet in a fluid motions.  
  
\+   
  
By the time they got to the front of the store to check out, their cart was full and Duo was ready to dance a jig. Half of the items in the cart had been picked up after he had mentioned liking them, and several had even been purchased only after receiving his approval. He was feeling really good about everything again.   
  
The cashier, a smiling, overly cheerful woman with frizzy blonde hair and buckteeth, grinned at them as they slowly unloaded their cart. "Good evening... actually, I guess I should say 'good morning'!" She laughed and started to check their order. Heero and Duo looked at each other, and Duo shrugged and rolled his eyes.  
  
"So, are you guys coming or going?" she asked.   
  
"Going," Duo replied with equal cheer, thinking to himself that they sure weren't 'coming'. He snickered, but shook his head when Heero looked at him questioningly.  
  
"Ah," she replied, as if that answered everything. Suddenly, she stopped ringing the order and held up the box of lube that Heero had chosen. "We have the store brand of this on sale for about half the price, and you can get it for sensitive skin, too."  
  
There was a long silence as both men simply stared at her while she smiled back happily, holding the box up while she waited for them to say something.  
  
+  
  
Tayles reached blindly behind her for the door to her room, cursing her luck that she had shut it before she left that evening. It would have been a small matter to open it if her lips and body weren't molded to Dorothy's in a heated kiss.  
  
Finally, she managed to grasp the knob and stumble into the middle of her bedroom, Dorothy's arms wrapping more firmly around her waist to hold their balance. While her hands were busy, Tayles slipped her fingers in the waistband of Dorothy's skirt and began to pry her shirt loose, giggling loudly when Dorothy broke the kiss to suck on her neck.  
  
+  
  
The walk back to the apartment was awkward. Duo was almost miffed when they got outside and he remembered that they didn't have a car to put the food in, but Heero looked at him and said simply that he hadn't thought they'd be getting much, but he hadn't wanted to refuse Duo anything.  
  
That pretty much cinched everything and Duo kept his grumbling to himself as he helped lug their bags the four blocks to Heero's apartment, then up the stairs to the apartment.  
  
They took care of the food together, giving Duo a chance to reacquaint himself with Heero's kitchen. As they worked, he vocally compared his kitchen to Heero's. Heero finished first and Duo had just finished putting the foodstuffs away when warm arms wrapped around his torso and drew him back against Heero's body.  
  
He sighed happily and covered Heero's hands with his as he waited for the other man to make a sexual overture that would end up with them back in bed, using their new tube of store brand lube.  
  
The overture never came. Heero simply held him while they stood in his kitchen, his head eventually coming to rest on Duo's shoulder as they stood together.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by Rae

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Life was not perfect. For everything good that happened in his life, for every thing he received that he was grateful for, Duo was always very aware that the world was not a perfect place.  
  
No word of living together ever passed between them, but Duo spent so much time at Heero's house that he missed the notice of the impending expiration of his lease, as well as the second and third notices. He was shocked to return home one Friday night to find an eviction notice on his door.  
  
"What the hell were you thinking?" He stared at Treize, his surprise turning to anger when the older man blinked at him.  
  
"Duo, what a nice surprise. To what do I owe this pleasure?" the ginger-haired man asked, smiling in amusement.  
  
In answer, Duo held up the white eight-by-eleven sheet that announced his eviction. "This! Aren't you supposed to give me some kind of warning before you kick me out?"  
  
Treize smiled and took the paper from Duo, turning it around to hold it in front of the other man's face, one manicured finger pointing out the date on the bottom. "It's been on your door for four weeks, Duo. Besides, I don't see what the problem is, since you've been practically living with Heero for a month and a half."  
  
Duo's jaw snapped shut and snatched the paper back. "That's besides the point! You're supposed to be my friend, Treize! Some notice would have been nice! Does Wufei know what you've done?"  
  
Ignoring the last question, Treize answered, "I've called around at Heero's place to talk to you, but no one ever answers the phone. I assumed that you would get my message and get back to me if you still wanted the apartment. That notice and the lease extension forms were only a formality. Just move your stuff to Heero's apartment," he suggested, his tone implying that that would be a natural occurrence.  
  
Duo stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, right. Easy as pie. I'll just pack my stuff up and ship it to Heero's."  
  
"That's my boy, Duo!" exclaimed Treize as he clapped Duo on the shoulder. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a date."  
  
"Sure, whatever," Duo agreed lifelessly. He backed out of the doorway where he'd taken up residence and let Treize shut the door, leaving Duo alone in the hallway. With tired steps, Duo went upstairs, the notice still clenched in his fist. His key still worked, and he let himself in, shut the door, and then leaned back against it. With a sigh, he realized that he had a lot of work ahead of him. "Well, fuck."  
  
+  
  
"Hello, lovely," Treize said silkily into the phone. "We have a slight change of plans. Yes, I do know that I promised my sister that we'd come to dinner, but I thought that we could spend an evening talking about…things."  
  
He listened for a moment, and then smirked.  
  
"Yes, I do like being obtuse. Why don't you come down here and see if you can't `wrestle' everything out of me? Hmm? Sounds promising." The person on the other ends spoke something barely audible and Treize sighed. "I promise to keep my hands to myself until after we talk."  
  
A moment later, he had hung up the phone and was unbuttoning his suit, a devilish gleam in his eyes. "My hands I may keep to myself, but that leaves a whole realm of possibilities, lovely."  
  
+  
  
Heero looked up from the stacks of files loaded on his desk as the phone rang. With a sigh, he stood up to answer it, conceding mentally that Duo was right about getting an extension in his office.  
  
"Heero Yuy," he said into the mouthpiece.  
  
"Hello, Heero," a feminine voice purred across the line. "Don't hang up," Dorothy said quickly, before he could do just that. "I have news that you might like."  
  
"Who have you managed to sucker now, Dorothy?" he asked blandly, looking longingly toward his chair and work. Anything would be better than hearing about Dorothy's latest conquest. "Or does this have to do with your bartender?"  
  
Dorothy laughed, the sound carrying clearly through the lines. "Trust me, if this was about -my- bartender, I wouldn't be sharing it with -you-. No, this is news about someone that we both know, someone you have been closer to than I."  
  
Heero thought about it for a moment, his mind quickly filing through his lists of acquaintances for people they both knew. Then the obvious struck him. "Duo?" He tried to keep his tone even and barely succeeded, though Dorothy didn't seem to notice.  
  
"I'm sure that there's gossip some place about him, but I'm actually referring to -another- of your lovers."  
  
That made it easy. "What is so exciting about Milliardo?"  
  
"You mean you haven't heard?" she asked, knowing very well that he hadn't. "It seems that he and Otto have finally had a falling out. Otto has transferred to another location, leaving poor Mill to suffer through his heartache alone."  
  
"Nice try, Dorothy. What's really going on?" he asked, shaking his head at her teasing.  
  
"That -is- what's really going on. Relena called me tonight. It seems that big brother went to -her- for advice and comfort. She called me as soon as she'd given him a sedative and had Pagan tuck him into bed."  
  
"Why exactly are you calling and telling me this?" Heero asked, feeling curious. Dorothy might have been a gossip queen, but she was also one of the most devious and thorough women he knew. If she was sharing information with him, there was a reason.  
  
"Hm?" she asked distractedly. "Oh. Sorry, Tayles just said something. Um…there was a reason." She sounded very lost as her voice trailed off, and then Heero heard laughing in the background. "Sorry. Just watch out for some changes on the horizon, okay?"  
  
The phone beeped, letting him know that the other line had disconnected, and he put the phone back in its cradle, eying it warily.  
  
+  
  
"Yes, I do realize that it's short notice, but all my stuff has to be out of the apartment by tomorrow morning, and there's no one else that I can call. Please, Quatre?"  
  
"Duo, you don't have to beg! I was just wondering if you knew what you were getting yourself into by trying to move everything in one day. Trowa and I will be right over."  
  
"Thanks, bud. This means a lot to me."  
  
"It's not a problem, Duo!" Quatre responded brightly. "Are we taking it to Heero's?"  
  
"Um…yeah," Duo said, sounding more certain than he felt. They hung up shortly after that, and Duo looked around, trying to figure out what he needed. With a sigh, he got to work.  
  
+  
  
Treize opened the door, his eyes hooded and wearing his best come- hither look. Une was unimpressed. "Expecting someone?" she asked with a smile. Her hair was down, instead of in its normal buns, and she was dressed in a soft blue skirt suit.  
  
"Midii?" He cocked his head. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"You cancelled dinner because you weren't feeling well, so I thought I'd come over to make sure that you were okay," she said softly. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"I'm fine, thank you for coming over," he said graciously, not feeling grateful in the least. At that moment, he saw Wufei step out of the stairwell and into sight, and he inwardly cursed his sister's timing.  
  
Wufei stopped behind Midii, his black eyes questioning. Treize smiled and stepped forward, taking his sister's arm. "Midii, here is someone I would like you to meet." He turned her toward Wufei. He had the pleasure of seeing Wufei's eyes widen in surprise. "Chang Wufei, my sister, Midii Une. Une, my lover, Chang Wufei."  
  
"You're Duo's friend, right?" she asked, not bothering with preliminaries. "The boyfriend that he brought to the office party a couple of years ago?"  
  
Risking a glance at Treize, and then meeting her gaze directly, he nodded. "Yes, ma'am."  
  
"Hm…" she made a considering sound. "It's nice to know that your taste has gotten better, Wufei." Then she smiled. "Come inside and have dinner with us, Chang." Her smile disappeared and her voice became authoritative. "Now."  
  
Wufei's eyes widened and he was yanked into the apartment by Une. It was looking to be a long evening.  
  
+  
  
Heero heard someone knock on the door, and he stood up apprehensively. It wasn't Duo, because his lover had a key. The only other people that he could think would visit him were Dorothy or Milliardo, and he didn't really want to see either of them.  
  
With a sigh, he went to answer the door as the person knocked again, this time harder and louder. It almost sounded like the person was kicking the door. He opened it, not bothering with the peephole. Surprisingly, it -was- Duo who grinned at him, his eyes wary and his arms filled with a box. "Hi, Heero. Guess what?"  
  
"What?" Heero asked blandly, looking beyond Duo to see Trowa and Quatre holding a chair, and a line of other people holding boxes and assorted furniture.   
  
"I'm moving in!" Duo said brightly, feeling anything but cheerful. Heero looked back at him blankly, and Duo could feel his friends waiting with baited breath as well. Finally, Heero blinked, after absorbing that statement.  
  
"That's all?" he asked. Heero held the door wider. "I would have come help if you had called me."  
  
Duo sighed at the same time as everyone else, releasing relieved breaths. "Yeah, well. I wanted it to be a surprise." Enough of one that Heero wouldn't have a chance to lock the door when he saw how much stuff Duo had.  
  
"Which it is," Heero agreed, nodding. He took the box from Duo's arms and carried it into the living room. "How much stuff do you have?"  
  
"Um…" Duo thought about it for a moment as everyone started filing into the small apartment and setting down his or her own loads. "About twenty big boxes, a bed, springs, and frame. Three chairs, a hot pink couch, my bean bags-"  
  
"Bean bags?" Heero asked, ignoring the comment about the couch for the time being. Dorothy chose that moment to walk in carrying one, and she tossed it to him.  
  
"Bean bags."  
  
"A dresser, several tables, two nightstands…" Duo sighed. "I had a lot of stuff."  
  
"Evidently," Quatre said dryly, carrying in a box. "I swear, when I rounded up a big group, I never honestly thought there would be this much. His apartment was tiny."  
  
"I'm a pack-rat by nature," Duo admitted sheepishly. He looked at Heero, who had set the box against the wall and was watching the others, shrugging when he was asked where to put something. "Sorry about this. I went back to the apartment to find out that I was evicted."  
  
Heero shrugged, face impassive. "There's room for most of this, and if anything has to go, we can compromise."  
  
Compromise…what a sweet word. "Yes, we can. Though really, I love your furniture and I'd rather use it that some of my beaten up, second-hand stuff. The bean bags stay, though."  
  
At that, Heero smiled, reaching out and wrapping his arm around Duo's waist. "I'll go order something to eat. We should probably feed everyone."  
  
"Hey, can you call Wu and Treize while you're at it? They were supposed to be having a date, but they should be at one of their apartments by now. We can make it a house-warming party."  
  
Heero raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it a little late for that? You do realize that I've been living here for almost a year now, don't you?"  
  
"Ah, but see. Now it's -our- place, and we need a party to celebrate it." He looked up hopefully and Heero smiled back at him, kissing him on the cheek.  
  
"Whatever you say, Duo. Whatever you say."   
  
Duo grinned happily, slipping an arm around Heero's waist and pressing his lips against his lover's. "In that case, I say pizza for everyone, and I need to call a few more people. Let's make this tea party into a real shebang!" he laughed merrily, quickly pulling away before Heero could argue, his enthusiasm spreading throughout the room. Heero watched with a patient look, his lips pressed tight to control the smile that wanted to take over his face.  
  
"He's irresistible, isn't he?" Quatre asked, coming to stand beside the brunette. Heero nodded in agreement, his eyes never leaving his lover's form. The blonde smiled, closing his eyes to better feel the emanation of happiness that pervaded the room. "Maybe you should tell him that," he suggested quietly.  
  
"Maybe I should," Heero agreed, his expression not changing as Duo disappeared from the room.  
  
+  
  
The party, last minute though it was, lasted until well past dawn. Duo kept everyone going with music and chatting, and dancing and eating. If anyone tried to slow down, he would appear at their side and swing them into another round of dancing that would keep them going for another hour at least. Wufei and Treize showed up with Une around midnight, followed by Noin and Relena, though Duo denied calling the last three.  
  
At one o'clock, Hilde and Sally showed up, forgotten by Duo, but invited by Quatre. Milliardo knocked on the door shortly after them, looking for his sister. Duo invited him to join the festivities. Heero started off playing chaperone, but somewhere along the line, Duo had conned him onto the dance floor, and that's where Heero spent the better part of the night, his partners switching at random to keep in dancing.  
  
When dawn came around, Duo and Heero sacrificed their bed to all the ladies that had come over. Somehow, Relena, Dorothy, Tayles, Sally, Hilde, Noin, and Une had all fit onto Heero's bed. No matter how large it was, Duo was still surprised to see them all squeeze in together.  
  
The living room became the crash pad for half of the male guests. Quatre and Trowa had taken two of the beanbags into the corner and were using them and each other as pillows. Milliardo had stretched out on the bed and had refused to be moved.   
  
Wufei and Treize took up residence on the floor of Heero's office. Duo was mildly surprised to see them spooned together, Wufei's arms wrapped rather protectively around his older lover.  
  
When all the guests were asleep, Duo and Heero crept off to the bathroom, the only room left in the apartment with a door and no guests. "Not a bad party, eh?" asked Duo, yawning. He snuggled against Heero happily. "We should do this more often."  
  
"Invite everyone over and stay up until the sun rises?" Heero asked, resting his head on Duo's shoulder and closing his eyes.  
  
"Yup. Don't forget the pizza and the dancing, and we'll call it a party," Duo mumbled, turning his face into the side of Heero's neck, his lips gently caressing the skin beneath one ear.  
  
"That could get expensive if we did it everyone weekend," pointed out Heero, his voice softening. His tongue flickered out and tasted Duo`s collarbone at the neckline of his shirt.  
  
"Yeah, but it's worth it to make me happy, isn't it?" asked Duo teasingly. His voice dropped a few notes, taking on a serious tone. "Admit it already, Yuy."  
  
"Admit what?" Heero asked innocently, his lips curving up into a smile.  
  
"You love me. You let me move in here and you let me take over things and you let me move my stuff in. You love me, don't you?" He sounded sure of himself, more confident in their relationship than he had since it started. "Which is good, cuz I love you too."  
  
"Duo," Heero said his name softly, drawing out the proclamation a moment longer.  
  
Duo was more than willing to play along. "Ne, Heero?"  
  
"Ai shiteru." Heero said, his breath constricting in his chest as he waited for Duo's response.  
  
Duo sighed and murmured happily, "Didn't I just tell -you- that?"  
  
With a small smile, Heero relaxed completely, his eyes closing. "Yes, you did. I just wanted to make sure that I said it."  
  
"Wouldn't matter," Duo said. "You could never have said it and you still would have been stuck with me. It is nice to know, though."  
  
"I thought-" Heero started, his tired mind trying to remember what it was that he had thought. His body was reacting to Duo's proximity, and thinking was starting to come into a slow third on his list of importance. Telling Duo he loved him was first and showing him was second.  
  
"Heero, I know you love me. Who else would let me put my pink couch in the middle of his living room? Only you, babe. Only you."  
  
"About that-"  
  
"Heero, sweets. What the hell happened to falling asleep after strenuous activity? You've been dancing for six hours; why are you still talking?" Duo questioned teasingly. He kissed Heero's cheek again. "Let's go find us a spot on the floor, huh? We can snuggle down and I can fall asleep in your armpit."  
  
Heero smirked, holding Duo in place when he tried to move towards the door. "How tired are you?" Heero asked, his hands moving suggestively down Duo's back to cup his buttocks.   
  
With a snicker, Duo returned the caress, his fingers going so far as to give Heero's ass a squeeze. "Feeling frisky, Heero?"  
  
In answer, Heero pressed Duo against the counter, their hips coming into sharp contact as he attacked his lover with his mouth and tongue. It only took them a few minutes to get rid of their clothing, and then Heero lifted Duo onto the counter, his hips between Duo's knees. One hand worked Duo's erection while the other held the back of Duo's head, holding him in place while he continued his onslaught of Duo's person.  
  
Duo's hands were busy as well. He occasionally caressed Heero's back or chest, but for the most part, he was trying to do a tactile search for lubrication without ever having to let go of Heero fully.  
  
His search-by-touch futile, Duo grunted in frustration. In one quick move, he pushed Heero back and stood up, his lips never leaving Heero's. With the drawers within range, he reached behind himself and opened the top one, this time finding the lube without problem.  
  
That problem taken care of, Heero pushed Duo backwards once again, pressing him un-gently against the countertop. If it hurt, Duo didn't let on. His quick, eager hands made short work of the lubrication on Heero's penis. He turned around, and Heero entered him without prepping, his excited body accepting the intrusion gladly.  
  
Once together, time seemed to still. Heero held himself frozen, his eyes meeting Duo's in the mirror over the counter. They stared at each other, their eyes losing some of the haze of passion under the intensity of their gazes. Heero wrapped his arms around Duo, pulling him closer so that his chest and Duo's back were flush and his head was resting on Duo's shoulder.  
  
Duo smiled and reached his arms up and behind his head, gently locking his fingers in Heero's head. Held together, they continued to stare at each other.  
  
"Tell me again?" Duo requested, his voice throaty.  
  
"I love you," Heero stated, this time in English. His arms tightened possessively, but his voice belied the heartfelt emotion when he whispered, "My Duo."  
  
It wasn't until the afterglow of sex had worn off that Duo muttered, "We'll talk about ownership in the morning."

~ end


End file.
